


suddenly then, forever yours

by aeriyaaa



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M, Two Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2018-12-23 09:20:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 28,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11986851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeriyaaa/pseuds/aeriyaaa
Summary: “See that guy? One day, I’m gonna marry him.”Mark Tuan can still remember those words he uttered during the first day of freshman year, Three years later, he's still very much smitten with a certain Park Jinyoung.





	1. 1/2

“See that guy? One day, I’m gonna marry him.”

 

Mark Tuan can still remember those words he uttered during the first day of freshman year. Up till now, he still recalls the judgmental look received from his seatmate after freshman orientation (Sometimes, he wondered how that friend is doing. Last time he heard, he moved abroad before freshman year ended. He hopes his doing well.). He might have been a little bit fresh faced and naïve at that time, but he knew. Mark Tuan knew that from that moment he saw Park Jinyoung, he is the _one_ ; that person who he would end up with someday.

It was like a scene from an old movie. Mark sitting across the auditorium, lining up with his classmates and waiting for their homeroom teacher to bring them to their classroom. That was then when section 1A passed by and Mark finally saw him, _the_ Park Jinyoung, carelessly laughing at perhaps a joke from one of his friends as if in slow motion. Mark Tuan immediately knew he was a goner. He suddenly remembered his mother always telling him that you will not meet the love of your life when you are a teenager, but Mark says otherwise.

_He had just met his._

From then on, it has been an effort trying to get to know any information on the other guy. Mark gave him the nickname, “Rice Cake” in his head, because there was this pink chewy snack he was fond of buying on his way home, which kind of reminds him of his crush’s soft looking cheeks. He eventually did learn his name though, because luckily, their PE class were just right after Rice Cake’s and Mark had the privilege to hear one of his classmates calling him “ _Yah! Park Jinyoung, are you coming with?”_ on their way to the locker room.

It was easy to say that Mark was too happy to care even if he was scolded by their PE teacher for being late, since he was too busy watching Park Jinyoung aka his Rice Cake running to join his classmates (and nope, he was totally not checking out his butt as Rice Cake runs adorably in his shorts. Nope! No sir.)

 

Unfortunately, it did not take long till he learned that Rice Cake broke Mark Tuan’s heart.

 

Okay, not really, because technically they do not know each other to be at _that_ level. However, Mark did eventually learn that Rice Cake (well, he still calls him ‘Rice Cake’ in his head sometimes – most of the time. No judgements here) already has someone special in his eyes. Unfortunately for him, the guy’s name is not Mark and definitely not Tuan.

It was a senior of theirs, Han Jaesung, a year older than them. Mark can hear his inner self berating him every single day that he was going to regret going out of his way to pass by hallways or classrooms he knew Park Jinyoung will be in (He has his scheduled memorized by heart. Again, let us make it clear, no judgment here), but no, Mark Tuan is a proud listener of his heart, and that was when he saw Rice Cake with Han Jaesung aka ‘that-stupid-ass-face-kind-of-git-i-know-i-look-better-than-him-in-so-many-levels’ sunbaenim, the two of them talking. Mark cannot even deny, even if inner Mark is already drowning himself in tears, there were literally hearts in Jinyoung’s eyes as he looked at that guy.

How could Mark even refuse to see it, when he is fully aware of himself looking at Jinyoung the same way?

 

He tried giving up, for a little while – hmmm, maybe a day or two, but even then, Park Jinyoung was still the one Mark searched for. Walking down school corridors, subconsciously passing by the Theater Club room where Jinyoung was a member of or just maybe looking at Rice Cake’s way in the cafeteria during lunch breaks, Mark still cannot help himself. Maybe it just became a habit, he tried to convince himself. It will be fine, I’ll get over him. Mark told himself every morning, however, the moment Park Jinyoung just passes by in his own cute glory; he knew he was whipped every single time.

 

 

 

So now, here Mark Tuan was a high school junior and still very much smitten with a certain Park Jinyoung.

 

 

Nothing much has changed since then, although Mark is not as wide eyed as he was back in two years ago. He had finally learned to expand his circle of friends and got to hang out with them as much as possible. By the way, Park Jinyoung has been his classmate for the past two years, which made his heart soar. He did also learned that Rice Cake had never been in any way, shape or form, been together with Han Jaesung; that made his heart soar higher to the sky and the moon and the stars.

That did not mean his chances with Jinyoung got any higher though, because as much as his feelings for this particular cutie developed over time, Jinyoung’s affection towards their senior seemed to grow as well. Mark was just left with himself staring from afar, looking on as someone else made his precious little love smile and love and blush and all (and no, he was not feeling sulky at all.)

 

“So I confirmed with the hyungs yesterday that we’ll go to the party on Friday.” Wang Jackson, Mark’s self-proclaimed best friend, says absentmindedly while he lounges on Mark’s desk. It was that lazy free time between classes and club activities and Mark cannot help, but wish it was already basketball practice. He seriously needs a workout ASAP.

_Oh right, the party._ Mark thought uninterestedly. He knew he was going to forget about that as soon as the seniors walked up to their table during lunch break yesterday. To be honest, as much as he thought how amusing Jackson looks like spouting mixture of Korean, English, Mandarin, Cantonese and from time to time, Japanese whenever he was totally wasted, Mark had never grown fond of drinking alcohol and he hangover that follows the next morning. However, Jackson had always educated him about how important networking is during high school (although Mark had doubted that a few times already), so he had no choice to just reply a simple, “Yeah, alright. I’ll be there” to his best friend about the seniors’ party. _I can’t even remember which senior is holding a party. Maybe I’ll just confirm it with Jackson later._ Mark mulled in despair.

Mark sighed exasperatedly and unconsciously turned his head to his right, specifically on the guy sitting two seats away from him. Jinyoung seemed to be organizing his notes as always. There was a frown and a pout already forming on his face, which meant he may have copied something incorrectly. Mark cannot help but smile at that, His Rice Cake must have been an angel sent to make his heart flutter just by his mere existence. He notices Jinyoung looking at the clock, seemingly, hurry up. It was almost three in the afternoon which means in five... four... three... two... and one...

“PARK JINYOUNG!!!” _Of course._

Choi Youngjae, Jinyoung’s best friend, strutted inside their classroom and always on time. Just like Rice Cake, Youngjae is also a member of the theater club and he never fails to come to their classroom on time just as the three o’clock mark comes to fetch his best friend and head off together to club activity. Mark thought it was cute seeing Jinyoung laughing and chatting away with his best friend, who seemed to care about him a lot. Jackson meanwhile, does have a whole lot of things to say about Youngjae.

“Great,” Jackson muttered under his breath as Youngjae excitedly tells Jinyoung to hurry up since he has something important to tell him. “It might be some kind of life and death situation, but does that really need to broadcast it to the whole classroom? What a loser...”

Mark cannot help, but snort, “Come on, man. Be nice. You’re even louder than him to be quite honest. Besides, didn’t you use to have the hots for him during our sophomore year? I can totally remember.” Well he really does remember, and he also recalled one time that Jackson got drunk as hell spouting nonsense and crying about Youngjae turning him down the other day, but Mark feels that Jackson does not have to be reminded about that.

“Oh, shut it,” Jackson said scratching his head in annoyance. “Unlike you who’s Mr. Popular, I don’t have a barrage of students walking up to me every single day to confess, so I do have some unfortunate slip ups in judgment like every now and then.” He made a not so subtle gesture towards Youngjae’s direction, which thankfully went unnoticed. Mark does not have the time to witness them spatting and have himself embarrassed in front of Rice Cake, so when Jackson told him it was time to go to basketball practice, he was more than willing to go.

 

(He did bump into Jinyoung who was also making his way out of the room. Jinyoung said a small, “Oh, sorry, Mark” before heading out. It was safe to say that Mark made all of his three point shots that afternoon and made a successful slam dunk. Coach was really pleased. But truthfully, Jinyoung’s voice echoed the whole afternoon and whole night like a broken record, kicking his feet in the air while lying on his bed. He felt so soft against him like a cotton candy. Mark was smiling from ear to ear until the following day – Jackson told him he looked creepy.)

 

 

 

“Hey Mark! You told me you’re treating me today!” Although it was already lunch time and most students have already crowded the cafeteria all over, Jackson’s thunderous voice still made a few heads turn and chuckle.

Mark made his way towards his friend. As much as his wallet was already crying for allowance, he did lose a bet with Jackson yesterday and now he has to let his best friend buy his own lunch to his heart’s content. Mark doubts Jackson will finish his impossible tray full of food right now without having a stomach ache, but well, a bet is a bet and he reckons, Park Jinyoung would never like a man who is not up for a challenge.

They were later joined in by some of their friends at their usual table. Mark usually just smile, nod politely and just join in the laughter when he was supposed to, but as always, he had always looked out to the direction a few table from theirs to have his special time aka stare shamelessly at Rice Cake while everyone else stuffs their faces with lunch food.

Like most days, Jinyoung’s table is pretty much comprised of most of his theater club friends. Jackson had carelessly called it the loser’s table because the club is mostly comprised of the school’s infamous ‘geeks’. Mark had always thought it was a bit unfair, since they all seem pretty nice and happy in their own little circle. In fact, he became biology lab partners with one of them last year, Im Jaebum; he recalled his name in his head. And aside from the fact that he would suddenly just belt out Broadway or trot songs every now and then (which may or may have not almost given Mark a heart attack while slicing a frog), Mark did think he was all in all a decent guy.

To his dismay, Mark sees Han Jaesung looming towards Jinyoung’s direction. Man, he really hates how Rice Cake’s eyes would seem to brighten up at the sight of him (Oh yes, Mark Tuan is still bitter and salty about it. Very much so. Affirmative.), but aside from that he had never really gotten the reason why Jinyoung liked him that much. Han Jaesung had pretty much a terrible reputation amongst the senior students, but seemed to grow a halo when he was talking to Jinyoung. Sometimes, just rarely, Mark pictures his inner self snatching that imaginary halo and using it as a Frisbee and just let it fly, fly away in the sky.

Unfortunately for him, he had to witness Jinyoung looking at him lovingly; conversing and seeing those adorable little whiskers appear in his eyes. That Jaesung guy must be telling him something funny. Mark thought regretfully in his seat, since his only chance with Jinyoung is only looking at him longingly from afar. _I hope he really does make him happy one day._ He can only sigh in despair. Inner Mark is already packing his things to fly out of the country, because real Mark Tuan is such a pathetic, love struck man.

 

He sees Choi Youngjae and Im Jaebum looking suspiciously at his direction and Mark quickly diverted his attention, regretting it as soon as he did since he did not plan to swallow a whole piece of tater tot (NOT. CHEWED.) Mark thought he was going to die.

 

 

 

“Oh! Oh my God! I’m so sorry! I didn’t know there’d be anyone in here!”

Okay, so maybe Mark Tuan will die of heart attack one day. Thank God (?), it was not this day or not. Maybe. The basketball team’s locker room was so crowded that day since the football team had some ongoing plumbing repairs. It was enough for Mark to feel claustrophobic, so after bidding a rather quick goodbye to Jackson, he then decided to just change in his casual clothes inside their classroom. He assumed everyone was just too busy with club activities anyway so it will be alright stripping off his clothes here. Well, or so he thought, not until he heard Park Jinyoung squeaking at the door.

“Oh, crap! Sorry! Sorry!” Mark can feel the heat creeping up his cheeks as he grabbed his shirt quickly from his bag. Suddenly, he is now super aware of how bare he looked like. “I didn’t know anyone would be back here! It’s just the gym’s locker room is so full... I thought. Uh... Sorry!”

Jinyoung was covering his face with his hands by the time Mark had successfully put on his shirt (after a couple of panicked attempts). “Are you decent now?” He mumbled quietly from his position. He seemed to be frozen from where he was standing.

“I am,” Mark replied nervously. He watched as Jinyoung finally removed his hands from his face hesitantly. “Sorry. I, I didn’t mean to freak you out that much, are you alright?” Despite being in love with Park Jinyoung for almost three years now, he can probably count on his fingers how many times they have spoken to each other in a decent conversation. Aside from the usual polite, hi’s and hello’s and ‘good mornings’ and ‘see you tomorrows’, they had never been really a chance for them to chat. One possible reason was that they do not share the same circle of friends anyway, so chances of hanging out (despite wanting to do so, oh so much) was literally zero percent and the other possibility (and probably 90% of it) was because will always make a fool of himself and say something stupid – which would probably keep him up all night figuring out what he should have said or what he should have done. Boy, he will most probably mess up.

 

You know, like, right now.

 

“N-no, it’s okay,” Jinyoung says, waving his hands immediately. “I... I shouldn’t have reacted that way! I... yeah. I was not expecting anyone to be around at this time, I thought you were a ghost or something. I was so scared for a bit there. I don’t like ghosts, you know?” His precious Rice Cake had ended it with a soft, embarrassed chuckle and Mark thought he would melt into a freaking puddle. _So rather than thinking and worrying of him walking in on me while changing my clothes, he was more worried he has seen a ghost. This is really not good for my heart._

“Haha...” Mark trailed off while he desperately racked his brain for something interesting to tell him, because quite frankly, he does not want this moment to end. “I’m completely alive! See?!” Mark does not know where all this cheerfulness is coming from. To top it all off, he even did some stretching and flexing off his arms to emphasize that he is indeed _alive._ Inner Mark is dying of secondhand embarrassment though. **_IF THE FLOOR WANTS TO SWALLOW HIM UP WHOLE, NOW WILL BE THE BEST TIME PLEASE. HAVE MERCY ON THIS POOR SOUL._**

Park Jinyoung must really be an angel sent from above, because instead of running away from the room, yelling at the top of his voice, “OH MY GOD, MARK TUAN IS A LUNATIC”, his adorable Rice CAKE just went on and laugh at his joke. His hands covering his mouth so daintily and his eye whiskers appearing immediately. Mark wants to bask in this moment. This is the first time he had made Rice Cake smile – no, laugh and it must be the greatest thing that happened in his entire life. What did the universe do to deserve someone as nice as Park Jinyoung?

“You’re so funny. I did not expect that.” Jinyoung says, before widening his eyes. “I mean, I did not mean anything wrong about that. I... I just. We haven’t really talked to each other, you know? And here I am, suddenly talking to the ‘Great Mark Tuan’. I did not expect you would be this nice, since you’re so popular and cool. I guess it’s true that you cannot judge a book by its cover. I... you’re even talking to a peasant like me. I feel honored.” Jinyoung giggled good naturedly. That got Mark so confused, is that how Jinyoung had seen him over the years?

Before Mark could say anything more, there was a knocking on the classroom door. Since Jinyoung was the one closest to it, he took the liberty to answer it. From his position, Mark sees a familiar sophomore he had met during one of Jackson’s parties. He thought he heard her ask Jinyoung, “Is Mark-sunbae there?” before Jinyoung turning around at him with a soft smile.

“Looks like one of your admirers is here.” Jinyoung tells him before fetching his bag from his seat. “It was nice talking to you even if just for a bit, Mark. See you tomorrow! Don’t want to keep your admirer outside for too long! Be nice to her, okay?”

 

Jinyoung was already gone when Mark’s soul finally returned to his body. He was left in a dazed all the way home that he cannot even remember what happened or what he told his sophomore friend after that. It might have been something bad, because the next day, Mark found his desk surrounded by his classmates and covered in, what he hopes to be, whipped cream. Jackson asked him about what happened, but he can only shrug. He saw Jinyoung looking worriedly at him, with his eyebrows furrowed deeply. He mouthed an ‘are you alright’ question at Mark from his desk. Of course, now he was more than alright. Smiling to himself, he does not have any care in the world right now; especially when Rice Cake stood up from his seat and helped him and Jackson clean his desk.

 

Mark made sure to circle yesterday and today’s date in his calendar, because he is awesome like that.

 

 

 

Friday came around as quickly as possible and Mark suddenly found himself entering an unfamiliar house with Jackson. The party seems to be in full swing by then when they arrived. The music is inhumanely loud that mark can hear feel his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Everything smells of booze and smoke and some other substances he hopes he will not find out about. It was really lucky for him that he will be tonight’s designated driver. He seriously is not in the mood for drinking tonight to be honest. He just wanna stay at home and probably play some video games (and maybe check Jinyoung’s SNS for a bit. #notastalker101)

“Dude, come on, just drink just one bottle.” Jackson was already shouting at him at the top of his voice, but Mark can only barely make out what he was saying because of the loud music. “The hyungs are already waiting for us at the pool table. We should come. You can just sober up later. We’re not gonna leave soon anyway.”

It seemed weird, Mark thought as he drinks his bottle of beer. He watches Jackson along with their other friends play beer pong and getting themselves smashed. He had managed to talk to some of familiar faces at school, whom he seemed to not remember the names. _They may have put something in these drinks._ Mark realized warily in his head as his thoughts has gotten a bit muddled. One bottle of beer surely does not make him this tipsy. Putting the bottle down, Mark then proceeded to tell Jackson (who for some reason started to play strip poker now) that he would go outside for some air.

 

“Ah, fresh air I missed you!” Mark exclaimed as he went out of the porch. The cool evening breeze wispily blowing against his cheeks as he slowly breathed in and out. Thankfully, the closed windows and door had somewhat trapped the throbbing music in his ear, because another minute of it might make his head explode.

He made himself comfortable sitting on one of the steps near the doorway. He decided to sober up as he whipped his phone out from his pocket. He sees Jinyoung posted a picture on his SNS an hour ago. He seemed to be hanging out with his mom and sister baking a cake. Jinyoung’s face was covered in icing and what looks like strawberry cream while his mom and sister holds out V-signs mischievously. He sees another Rice Cake’s post, this time a video, of them surprising his father for his birthday. Mark smiled fondly as he watches it over and over again, listening to his little love sing the birthday song. His thumb hovered over the Like button, mulling over whether to press it or not.

His musings, however, was unfortunately interrupted when he hears voices coming his way. Mark quickly put back his phone in his pockets to find another hiding place to sober up, because by the sounds of those voices, it is something he does not want to either hear or see. Deciding that it would be better for his soul and sanity to walk the opposite direction, Mark finally stands up from his position. Unfortunately (or rather fortunately?) for him, he was able to hear what the voices were saying that made him completely stop on his tracks and made his blood boil.

“Oppa,” Mark heard an unfamiliar voice of a girl, giggling and whining to the person she was with. “Are you sure this is okay? I mean, aren’t you dating that guy Park Jinyoung from class 3A?”

“Dating? Me?” Mark can already feel his hands turning into fists when he heard Han Jaesung’s reply. “Don’t worry, babe. I’m not dating that guy. He’s just a guy who seemed to like me a lot and likes to do some errands for me every now and then. Why would I date a loser like that? I only like you.”

 

Three years. Three _fucking_ years, Mark had always wanted to punch the guy. He just never had any legitimate reasons to do that aside from the fact that the love of his life seemed to dedicate almost all of his time and efforts to this... this bastard. And right now, like a buffet up for grabs, the opportunity to make this guy pay presented itself. Flashes of Jinyoung smiling up at this guy adoringly while he watched from afar, crossed Mark’s mind. He had long surrendered to the fact that Jinyoung will never ever love him back and that he will eventually end up with this guy. This asshole was supposed to make him happy, to offer the whole world – no, the whole universe and beyond to Park Jinyoung and he was just out here spouting words that Jinyoung was just his errand guy? Park Jinyoung deserved better.

 

Mark Tuan has been described to be a lot of things, but he has never considered himself stupid. However, when he hears something bad being spoken against the love of his life, all his logic goes out of the window. So when he turned back and marched to punch Han Jaesung in the face, Mark knew the pandemonium it would cause after. At that moment however, once he landed one, two, three other punches on the other’s face, Mark did not have any notions to care one bit.

Mark felt himself being pulled up by a now, seemingly sobered up Jackson, who probably like everyone else was, surprised at his actions. Regrettably, it proved to be harder to separate Mark from Jaesung as the former’s grip on him was so tight, the other was already gasping for air. It took two other guys to finally separate them, but not without Mark saying the final words.

“You don’t fucking deserve him.”

 

 

 

Monday morning came and as soon as their homeroom teacher came in, Mark kind of expected to be called to the principal’s office already. Now to be quite honest, this was not his first time to be called in. There were maybe once or twice that he was caught cutting classes since he was too immersed in playing basketball, to which he has served a week long detention. He had not been called in for something as serious as this though.

As much as he hated to let his parents down, there was nothing worse than coming into their classroom and seeing Jinyoung’s disappointed look at him. Mark knew as early as he stepped inside the school premises that the news of what transpired at the party has already spread like wildfire. It did not matter, because it was indeed his fault, he thought as he raced towards their classroom. The only thing that mattered to him the most, the only person he cared about stared back at him with sad eyes, those eyes that he loved the most, telling Mark that he had been hurt for what he had done. Mark tried to say something, but what else can he tell Jinyoung? He can only watch as Jinyoung finally turns away from him, as if seeing Mark, the person who had hurt the one he likes the most, pained him so much. Mark felt like it was the end of the world for him.

 

“Punching a schoolmate, a senior even, during a study group is something we do not tolerate, Mr. Tuan.” Mark could only stare in disbelief as their school principal spoke to him. Study group? Mark wanted to laugh, so this is how it was going to be. The school received a call from Han Jaesung’s very angry parents that morning to inform them that a junior student aka him, Mark Tuan, had gone berserk during their precious son’s study group sessions with his classmates. _Wow_ , Mark could only sigh to himself. _Even how he handles things,_ _that guy is seriously a coward._ “Your parents are on their way to speak with me today.” Principal Lee continues. “I had spoken with your homeroom teacher earlier and we had decided as to what will be your consequence of your actions. We hope that this will be the last time I hope to see you in my office again, Mr. Tuan. Understood?”

 

“Participate in the Theater Club’s play?!” Mark hears Jackson exclaiming at him during lunch break. “Dude, dude, dude, this is bad. They really know how to make punishments, don’t they? I mean you participating in those losers’... Gosh, it would’ve been better if they just suspended you for a week or something. At least that would’ve sounded badass.”

“Gee, thanks for the support.” Mark answered sarcastically while he stared at his untouched lunch. Although he was supposed to look forward to spending time with Rice Cake even after classes, he absolutely is not looking forward to seeing an upset Jinyoung looking at him with the same kind of disappointment in his eyes. It might really just break his hearts into tiny powdery pieces. Inner Mark is already pulling out all of his hair. “The lead actor suddenly got a leg injury, because he slipped in the shower and won’t be able to perform without crutches in the next three months, so they’d been so kind to offer me, me being as a person who has zero theater experience, as the new lead for the play. They felt that it would help me personally to socialize with other students to lessen my ‘violent tendencies’. My parents are already every possible relative to come and watch.so yay for that.”

Jackson, being the true friend that he is, only offered him a snort and a tap on the shoulder. “Well, good luck with that man. I’ll also make sure to get everyone to watch so it will be a smash.”

_Good luck to me indeed._ Mark thought bitterly as he starts to eat his lunch unenthusiastically. He looked up to see how Jinyoung was going. Jaesung was once again on their table, looking like he was showing Jinyoung the wounds he got from Mark’s fists. Jinyoung touched them gently with his soft and delicate fingers, his expression full of concern. Mark nearly broke his fork in two.

 

 

 

“Okay, so I believe everyone has already heard of what happened to Hansol-hyung, am I right?”

There was a murmur of agreement inside the theater hall, as everyone listened to the Theater Club president who turned out to be (surprise, surprise), his previous biology lab partner, Im Jaebum. Mark has never felt so out of place in his entire life. Although Mark had never been technically suspended at school, their basketball coach had temporarily relieved him of his duties with the basketball team to give way for his “Theater Club detention” and for Mark to, using Coach’s words, “reflect on his actions”.

Im Jaebum, thankfully, was accommodating. He even went out of his way to fetch Mark from his class to guide him where the Theater Hall was (although Mark already knew where it is of course). At least, the universe still is blessing him in its own little ways, because even though all of these things happening to him felt so alien right now, there was at least a friendly face he could talk to at some point.

“So,” Jaebum continued on. “I know this might come off as a surprise for some of you but Principal Lee has informed us that for our next project, we’re gonna be joined by a special guest!” To emphasize his point, Jaebum nodded towards Mark’s direction and at least thirty heads turned simultaneously at his direction all wearing the same curious expression on their faces. Mark had never felt so small. “I’m sure everyone knows him one way or another, but I hope to get everyone’s cooperation to feel him welcome to our little group. So now, Mark! Why don’t you join me here onstage for a bit and say a few words! I’m sure everyone here wants to get to know our play’s new lead actor!”

 

“Uhh,” Mark started to say. It had never been a problem for him to speak in front of an audience, at least that was what he thought so. However, with thirty sets of eyes looking at him expectantly as if he would say something brilliant can be quite pressuring. He looked across the stage where Jinyoung was sitting down typing away in his laptop and completely ignoring Mark’s existence. That did not help him at all (although he still gave Rice Cake the benefit of the doubt since he was the club’s playwright after all). “Okay, uhm, well, I’m not making a great impression am I?” Mark laughed awkwardly and seeing the continuous silence, confirmed that yes, he was not making a good impression. So what else can he do but to breathe in and out, and count one to three. “Hi everyone, I’m Mark Tuan of Class 3A. I know most of you won’t believe me since I only ended up here, because Principal Lee has sent me. However, I really am excited to work with everyone else! So I’ll make sure to work twice as hard and I hope to have lots of good memories with you guys. Please take care of me well.”

“Alright! That’s the spirit! Let’s welcome Mark to the team and using his words, let’s make great memories with him!” Jaebum clapped from his seat. He was soon followed by everyone else and that made his nerves calm down a bit. He looked at Jinyoung staring at him as well with an unreadable expression. Mark could only give him an apologetic smile. He should at least apologize to Jinyoung soon.

 

“Dude, here it is.” Jaebum handed him a copy of the script, which felt a bit heavy on Mark’s hands. “I know this might be a bit too much to ask from you, and please don’t be surprised. It is almost fifty pages and most of it will be your lines. Look, you can read them through today and I’ll go practice with the guys while you watch since it’s your first day. Then tomorrow, you can join practice with the script, but please memorize it as well during your free time, okay? And if you have questions, feel free to ask anyone here. Except Jinyoung, I think he’s still pretty pissed at you. But don’t worry. I know you’re a nice guy. He’d chill out soon.”

“Right... Thanks, Jaebum. I’m really serious, man.” Mark says gratefully. Quite frankly, he would not know what to do had Jaebum not been here. “Can I ask something though?”

“Sure.”

“Did Jinyoung write this whole play?”

Mark noticed Jaebum studying him carefully, before answering. “Yeah, he did. It’s his dream to be a playwright. He’s written our last three plays, but you already know that, don’t you?” He says smiling before turning into a smug expression. “Pretty awesome, huh?”

“Yeah,” Mark replied not knowing how to interpret Jaebum’s knowing glance at him. Oh well, he does not know Jaebum enough to really interpret it in any kind of way to be honest. “You know what; you think I can join practice today? I’ll make sure to watch you first, if it’s okay?”

 

 

 

Theater club rehearsals, as it turned out, finishes a bit later than usual. It was already half past seven in the evening when Mark along with the other club members stepped out of the auditorium. All in all, the practice in itself was quite a bit of fun. There were some instances that they had to rehearse over and over again, since Mark is a total rookie and is a bit helpless about blocking or using proper intonation with his lines. Everyone for the most part were helpful and approachable, which Mark was grateful for. They were all so nice that if Mark does not do a hell of a job in this play, it would be on him. The least he could do was to at least return the favor and listen and learn as much as he can and hopefully get some interesting results.

 

“Oh Mark! You’re heading off this direction too?” Mark heard Jaebum yelling a few steps ahead of him. Jaebum was accompanied, to Mark’s surprise, with Jinyoung’s best friend, Youngjae.

Jaebum, Mark realized, handles the entire directional job for the club and had been for the past year. It totally made sense now since he was the club’s president despite being only a junior student. On the other hand, Youngjae was assigned to direct the musical aspect of the play. He mostly coordinates with Jinyoung a lot to make sure everything fits the scenarios. And all of the compositions are mostly composed by Youngjae. Mark felt like he was studying in an arts school earlier, because seriously, all of the people who keeps ignoring the Theater Club are completely sleeping on their talents.

“Yeah, I am,” Mark replied after finally catching up to them. “I didn’t know you guys are going this way too!”

“Oh, by the way,” Jaebum says gesturing at Youngjae. “I don’t know if you two guys have met? I mean, I’ve been your lab partner, Mark. I don’t know if Youngjae already...”

“Yeah, yeah. You’ve been lab partners,” Youngjae says with a roll of his eyes. “You’ve been spouting that same information since last year. Enough already. Seriously, Mark Tuan, this guy is such a fanboy of yours.” Jaebum only answered with a ‘hey!’ “Of course, I know who you are, Mark Tuan. Everyone knows you, of course. Jackson Wang’s friend, right?”

“Oh, about that,” Mark scratched his name in embarrassment. There was still something nagging in his head about Youngjae and the fact that Jackson’s name came from him only meant that Youngjae still does remember THAT INCIDENT from a year ago. “Yeah, I’m Jackson’s friend. And I just want to apologize to you about last year’s incident of him suddenly showing up to your house confessing and singing so loud.”

Youngjae snorted at the memory. “That’s alright. I mean you’ve already apologized then. No need to say sorry about the same thing over and over, right?”

“Ah well,” Mark replied. “I was carrying Jackson’s lifeless body that time; we should’ve apologized properly after that, you know? Your parents might have not appreciated the noise.”

“I say forgive and forget!” Youngjae shrugged. “Besides, Jackson Wang has not looked at me or spoken to me since then. I don’t think an apology is still possible to be honest. Anyway, good job earlier. He did well for a rookie, right, Jaebum?”

 

 

The next day’s practice ended up an hour earlier than usual since the auditorium had to have its weekly cleanup and inventory. Although it was such a brief a rehearsal, everyone, not only Mark himself had noticed a significant improvement compared to yesterday’s practice.          Well, it definitely should have since he had been obsessing over the play since yesterday. He thought that at least, he would be able to properly apologize to Rice Cake if he sees him working hard. And Mark Tuan does work hard (He had his nose stuck in the whole script book all day; he did not even notice Jackson throwing uneaten grains of  rice on his hair not until he went to the wash room. He is seriously, so rude.)

“Hey guys, want to hang out?” Mark asked Jaebum and Youngjae as the three of them stepped out of the school gates. It was still a bit too early and can feel his theater adrenaline (if there was such a thing) flowing in his bones. And maybe Youngjae can have Jinyoung join in too (which totally what NOT Mark Tuan’s intention was – please do not side-eye him). Jaebum and Youngjae looked at him as if he had just lost his mind. _Ah, they might be thinking I’d get them drunk or something, given what happened with Han Jaesung._ “I mean, I promise I won’t get you guys in trouble. I’m just really hungry right now and craving for some good and juicy burgers, curly fries and milkshake. Or maybe grilled meat and rice!”

“That sounds good.” Youngjae says after a minute of probably just them staring at Mark in disbelief. “But, forgive me. Would it be alright if you hung out with us theater geeks though, I mean.” He pointed his thumb at Jaebum. “This guy looked like he’s having a mental breakdown just by having you invite us to eat out, Mark Tuan.”

“Seriously, I’m just a normal guy.” Mark chuckled uncomfortably. He did not know where all these assumptions about him came about since most of his high school life as far as he remembers was him pining for a certain Rice Cake and watching from afar. That was why being perceived as something of a... a... whatever they see him as makes him a tiny bit uncomfortable. Inner Mark Tuan is feeling blue and having a ‘quarter life’ crisis “I just want to eat and have fun with everyone, so? Are we going?”

Jaebum, who finally regained his consciousness finally say. “Oh! I know just the place!”

 

Turns out, one of the sophomore club member’s family owns a barbecue restaurant just near the subway station. Mark remembered the guy’s name as Kim Yugyeom, who, if he was not mistaken, was the club’s floor director. He was mostly in charge of blocking and the choreographies if the scene requires one. Thankfully, Mark did not require any dancing (AS FAR AS HE WAS INFORMED!). He would just be able to showcase everyone about his two left feet. Yugyeom was very nice and accommodating once they have arrived, even going as far as offering to have them use the VIP room where there is a large karaoke machine – on the house. Youngjae and Jaebum seemed very excited that Mark did not have the heart to politely decline.

To round out their little dinner group for the night, they were joined in by Yugyeom’s best friend, Bambam. Now, Bambam is also a part of the theater club and mostly part of the wardrobe team. Mark had encountered him once already when they did the fitting, since he had a different set of body measurements compare to the last guy. But for the most part, he mostly see Bambam, sewing away while the rest of them rehearsed.

“We should totally take a picture tonight, you guys!” Yugyeom exclaimed all of a sudden, that some of the grilled meat he was eating spewed out of his mouth and before Youngjae could berate him in any way, he continued. “No one would seriously believe that Mark-hyung hung out with us!”

“I would be very honored to take a photo with you guys.” Mark says after swallowing a mouth full of rice. “But seriously, you guys. Can we at least chill on having me spending time with you all? I’ve never ever seen myself as anything above anyone else. We’re all the same students here, aren’t we? We can be friends. I want to be your friend.”

“You’re seriously too cool, Mark-hyung.” Bambam piped in. “We do know how the rest of the school viewed us, the theater geeks. Although we do not mind since we are doing what we love in the first place, but having you coming here and join us really is amazing. We’re just not used to hanging out with cool people and having them being nice to us that’s all.”

“Yeah but we’re glad that you’re here, aren’t we?” Jaebum says with thumbs up.

“Thanks guys.” Mark says as all of them resumed eating.

“And thank you too, for punching Jaesung-hyung in the face.” Youngjae added solemnly. Jaebum tried to argue with him but Youngjae just shrugged. “What? It’s no secret that I hated the guy, even Jinyoung knows it. You guys hate him too, don’t you? Anyway, no matter what your reason is for clocking him in the face, I’m glad you did what you did.”

Mark’s ears perked up at that piece of information. _Oh._ He totally did not expect that. However, he was not able to ask what he was about to say when Yugyeom joined him. “Why did you punch him anyway, hyung? If you don’t mind me asking of course.”

“He said something unforgivable.” _About Jinyoung._ Mark felt it would be inappropriate if he say anything more. To be honest, he hated remembering what he said that night. Those words just triggered emotions Mark had never felt before and it was bad.

“I knew he would do something like that!” Youngjae almost shouted. “He’s always running off and making Jinyoung do stuff like, ‘Jinyoung, I can’t do my homework, please help me’ or... or ‘Jinyoung, I forgot to pick up this or that’ ugh! Seriously the man just irritates the hell out of me. Jinyoung is not your maid! And the worst part is Jinyoung is so blinded by his feelings for him that he just do all those stuff without questions asked!”

“Jinyoung really likes him that much, huh?” Mark Tuan must really be a masochist. Even though he knew the answer for the longest time, he thought that hearing from people close to Park Jinyoung would just get rid of that little doubtful monster that tells him he still has a chance with Rice Cake.

“Unfortunately, yeah.” **LITTLE DOUBTFUL MONSTER IS SLAIN.** Inner Mark is weeping for real Mark’s soul. Feelings shutting down in 3... 2... 1... Heart disintegration is confirmed.

 

Ah who is he kidding anyway? If anything, now he wants to protect Park Jinyoung from that bastard more than ever. How? Well, he would have to figure it out really, really soon.

 

 

 

“Mark-hyung, please pass the green one.” Yugyeom says as Mark handed him the freshly opened can of paint.

 

It was Saturday and instead of staying at home and bumming around, Mark found himself back at school and helping the Theater club with props making. Looks like everyone were back here as well, Mark observed as even the actors were all hanging out and painting backdrops and fake trees like it was the most natural thing to do on a beautiful Saturday morning.

“Hey, is Jinyoung coming?” Mark tried to stop himself from asking more than once already, but it has been an hour since they arrived and he still has not seen any signs of his beautiful Rice Cake.

Bambam, who was assigned on painting all the fake rocks, joined in. “Jinyoung-hyung? Yeah he should be here soon. He just helps out with his mom’s bakery in the morning, but after that he goes here too to help out.”

“Mark-hyung!” He heard Yugyeom called him from behind and just as he had turned around, Mark his face being swabbed by a thick green paint soaked paint brush.

“YAH!” Mark gasped, and heard Yugyeom’s cackling away from him. However, he did not have any more time to react since Bambam had attacked him as well with his own gray paint brush. In fact, if he had not been mistaken, he heard Jaebum and Youngjae joining in to, with Youngjae squeaking a loud and enthusiastic, ‘Let me join in too!!’ Needless to say, Mark’s face ended up with an array of colored paint like a street art, courtesy of his new friends. (Also, it did not help that Yugyeom had found his tickle spot so it made him impossible to run away. Inner him is not amused.)

“You guys are so dead!” Mark called after them once he heard them runaway a few moments later. Laughing to himself, he decided to head off to the washroom to at least make himself presentable once Jinyoung arrives. To his dismay, however, that will not be possible anymore, since upon exiting the backstage, Park Jinyoung is the first person he runs into. And yes, Mark wanted to run back home and just bury himself under the sheets and stay there for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, he was still here, still rooted in his feet with his #1 Rice Cake looking up at him in shock.

“Oh, uh, hi.” Mark managed to stutter, but before he can say anything else, he sees Jinyoung crack a smile and soon his little chuckled turns into a legitimate laughter. Mark is about ninety percent sure his soul just left his body and he was left watching his own self staring at the love of his life while gaping like a fish. **_COME ON, MARK TUAN. TALK! SAY SOMETHING. ANYTHING. THERE’S SIMPLY NO OTHER WAY OUT OF THIS SO JUST USE YOUR WORDS. OH MY GOD. THIS IS THE LONGEST SILENCE IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANKIND’S EXISTENCE._**

“You sure look like a mess.” Jinyoung says wiping his eyes from laughing too much. Mark had been aware of how much he missed Jinyoung, but he never realized how much, not until he heard his beautiful, soft voice again. If Mark could just scream and sing to the heavens, he had already done it. Let’s just say he would just leave Inner Mark dancing happily in the meantime. “Looks like those guys finally got to you, huh? It’s like their own little initiation right. Good job, looks like you’re already part of the club.”

“I- I am?” Mark said dumbly. He dreams of the day that he will be able to talk to Rice Cake without having his brain going into serious overdrive. Seriously, it was bad for his well-being.

“You are.” Jinyoung said smiling at him. Mark’s knees are melting. If the floor would be so nice and catch him. He might have turned into a jello pudding already from all the fluffiness. “Hold on, stay there. I’m gonna go get the cleaning kit. Those paints don’t just come off using water only. I’ll be back.”

 

No need to say anything else, since Mark is practically frozen in his position anyway. Jinyoung at some point seemed to have forgiven him. He does not know how, he does not know when, but he did. Or maybe Jinyoung is really just an angel who is just a blessing to every human being. Yup, that last one seems to be the most plausible explanation of them all.

 

“Mark, you like Jinyoung, don’t you?” Youngjae’s voice echoed behind his back as he and the other boys came out of the backstage as well and Mark, along with Inner Mark, wants to die out of the embarrassment. What else can he deny about it since from when it was the truth anyway?

“Of course, he does!” Yugyeom yelled joyfully. There was a teasing smile on his face as they stood in front of him in a half circle. “Mark-hyung, your face is covered in face paint, but it’s too obvious that you’re blushing!”

“It is?” Mark touched his face and only felt the now dried paint covering them. He can still feel his cheeks burning though, so Yugyeom is probably right. He did not appreciate Bambam’s ‘hashtag whipped’ comment though (although he was probably 101% right.) “Ah, what’s the point? Okay, you got me. I’ve liked him since first day of freshman year. But please don’t tell Jinyoung, alright? I don’t want him to hate me.”

“I. FREAKING. KNEW. IT!” Jaebum cheered loudly which earned a few of the members looking up at him in judgment. “I knew you were always staring at Jinyoung during lunch time, ha!” He turned to Youngjae with an amused expression. “What did I tell you, huh, Choi Youngjae? And you wouldn’t believe me at first, didn’t you, huh?”

“Alright, alright...” Youngjae sighed exasperatedly. “I did tell you I believe you eventually, didn’t I?”

“What– you guys knew?” Mark blinked at them in surprise.

“Mark, you’re not exactly subtle, you know?” Youngjae looked at him in amusement.

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with us.” Jaebum added with a pat on his shoulder. “We’ll make sure to leave you and Jinyoung alone, so you two can have your quality time while he washes your face.”

 

That night, he was invited to join a chatroom named, ‘Prince Mark Tuan and his Love Musketeers’, which in principle is the most extra thing he had witnessed in his entire life. But oh well. There was a small smile on his face as he went to sleep that night. (But he had to turn his notifications off since the guys had flooded the chatroom with Jinyoung’s photos in all shapes and forms; he did appreciate the support though. Now he does not know which photo to use as his wallpaper. Maybe he would just use them all, one day at a time.)

 

 

 

“Hey dude. Donghyuk from Class 3D is inviting us to his party this Friday. I’ll tell him we’d go, alright?”

 

“I can’t.” Mark replied while he stares at his script. To be honest, there had been so many scraps on the edges and writings on the sheets that he cannot help but feel a bit proud of himself. In fact, as the premiere date of the play approaches, he has been able to rehearse with the others without any cheat sheets prompted whatsoever. Well, of course, if he would be really, really honest, seeing Jinyoung proudly smile at him is definitely a wonderful bonus. He cannot help, but work harder. “We have early rehearsals on Saturday morning and you know my parents are watching me like hawks now, so no thank you.”

“Ah you suck,” He can feel Jackson’s eyes boring holes at him, but he will live. “It seems that you hung out with those theater geeks more than the guys these days. Seriously, what’s so great about those losers?”

“Hey, you can learn to be a bit nicer to them, can’t you?” Mark tried to play it off as a joke, but his forced smile might already be a dead giveaway that he was serious. “Come on, man. Look, I just wanna say that they haven’t done anything wrong to you, so can you please stop calling them losers before you even get to know them for real?”

“Alright, fine. Sorry.” Jackson replied sarcastically. “I’m going back to class. Are you coming with?”

“You can go right ahead.” Mark answered, taking a quick glance at the Theater Club’s lunch table. There was still something that was not clear for him during last night’s rehearsal.  “I have to ask Jaebum something. I’ll just see you later, okay?”

“Whatever man.”

 

 

 

It was almost eight in the evening, yet Mark had chosen to stay behind. Everyone has already gone home, but fortunately Jaebum was kind enough to leave the auditorium’s keys with him. It almost felt like it was just yesterday when Mark had first stood in front of all the Theater club guys and awkwardly made his introduction. And now, as he stood on the center stage, looking at the strangely comforting empty seats, it now felt unbelievably exciting that in less than two weeks, he will be standing here in front of an audience.

It will be then when this dream will end, won’t it? Hanging out with the “Musketeers” (a self-proclaimed group name the guys were now officially calling themselves with) and seeing Jinyoung typing away in his little laptop, offering Mark an encouraging smile whenever rehearsals will start. He cannot help but wonder if things will still be the same after this play. It saddens him a little bit, whenever he thinks about it.

 

“Mark? You’re still here?”

“Oh holy smokes and cheeses!” Mark clutches his heart in surprise when his sentimental moment was suddenly interrupted by Jinyoung’s voice. Good thing Mark exercises a lot and eats healthy food, because seriously his heart has been too stressed and surprised lately. And it definitely does not help one bit that he is once again alone with his Rice Cake. “I thought you’re a ghost!”

Jinyoung giggled once again, covering his mouth in the most adoring way ever. It makes Mark want to record his laughter and use it as his lullaby (Oh yes, creep alert 101 entering No Judgement zone) “That makes us even then.” He says before climbing up the stage to join Mark. “I bet Bambam and Yugyeom already told you about the ghost of that little boy who roams here at night, didn’t they?”

“Unfortunately, they did.” Mark said through gritted teeth. He had the misfortune of Yugyeom and Bambam telling him about the ‘ghost experiences’ they had in the auditorium. Now, Mark is not really a believer of supernatural beings, but it must be their theater background; they told the stories to him so dramatically that they kept him up all night long. Inner Mark is not amused.

“Take it from a professional. It’s probably best not to listen to them 100% of the time.” Jinyoung said in amusement. “Jaebum must really trust you if he had left the keys with you. I left some of my stuff behind, I had to go back and I was kind of surprised when I saw the doors were unlocked.”

“How did you get in?” Mark asked curiously. Well, only partly curious, because another part of him is trying to figure out how to breathe normally in the presence of his one and only Rice Cake.

“Three years of being a part of Theater Club, I’ve learned a few tricks here and there.” He watches as Jinyoung took a hairpin behind his hair and showed it off to him. “They still haven’t figured it out, so this will be our secret, okay?”

“Of course.” _OF COURSE HE WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HIM SO HIS LIPS ARE TIGHT SHUT._

“Thanks. So,” Jinyoung chuckled. “What are you up to?” He walks over to sit down at the edge of the stage and faced Mark. Most of the light in the auditorium were already turned off and from where he was standing, Mark can perfectly see Jinyoung’s face illuminated perfectly by the moonlight. “Come on, I’ll watch you rehearse since I’m already here.”

“What? No! That’s embarrassing!” Mark felt the heat creeping up his cheeks. He stayed behind to perfect his performance, not stutter around in front of his crush. “No, I’ll be fine. It’s already late. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Jinyoung only laughed some more. “What are you saying? It’s just me.” _Yes, that’s the point. It is YOU._ “You’ll be performing with hundreds of people come premiere night! Come on. Please?” Mark knows Jinyoung was just kidding around, but this is not the right moment for Jinyoung to press his fists on his cheeks and bat his eyelashes at him. Oh, he just did.

“What the hell... Fine.” Mark says as a smile graces his lips. _You’re lucky that I love you, Park Jinyoung._

                                             

 

“Jinyoung, aren’t you mad at me?”

 

It nearly took an hour for them to finish up and lock the auditorium. As it turned out, Jinyoung lived just a few stations away from Mark, but he did not mind walking him home. Jinyoung had the impression they were going the same direction, but Mark did not have the heart to tell him otherwise. Besides, this is the very first time he had the chance to legitimately spend some alone time with Rice Cake and he definitely does not want to miss his chance. (His phone is buzzing like hell in his pocket. He probably should not have told the Musketeers about what happened since they were now asking for updates every two minutes.)

Jinyoung did not say anything for a few minutes and Mark wondered if he heard what he said. “It was unfortunate about what happened with you and Jaesung-hyung.” Jinyoung said thoughtfully. “I wish it did not go down like that, and I wish it never happened, but at the same time, I’m also glad it did.”

“You are?” Mark asked.

“Yeah, and please don’t take this the wrong way.” Jinyoung chuckled. “When I heard about what happened, I was really worried; especially when I saw what happened to Jaesung-hyung’s face.” Somehow, as selfish as it sounded, Mark hated the way Jinyoung says his name. “But more importantly, I was confused why you of all people had done that. I know we didn’t know each other that much and it was wrong for me to just assume things, but you did not seem to be that guy to do those kinds of things for no reason at all. I thought I made an error of judgment. Maybe everyone’s right all along. Mark Tuan is cold and aloof; a total playboy. He’s so popular that he only talks nicely to people at his level. So I’m glad when you came and joined us in the Theater club. You became friends with everyone so well and we came to see the real you. It made me happy at some point. For me it meant a lot that the Mark Tuan I met is the same nice person and not how the rumors made you out to be. It kept my mind at ease.”

“I’m so sorry for what I did though, Jinyoung.” Mark says quietly. He had no idea that Jinyoung cared about it – him a lot. It probably was just because he was being nice and should not be taken in any other way, but Mark still felt he owed him an apology.

“What are you apologizing for?” Jinyoung asked with a smile. “I mean, I was not the one who got punched in the face, which reminds me that I should not get on your bad side. Wow.” Mark must have looked pretty solemn that Jinyoung’s expression changed in a flash. “You must have known I like him if you’re looking at me like that. But all jokes aside, you don’t have to say sorry to me. I’m just a friend in his eyes, more like a little brother, so I have no right to be upset in any way if something happens to him.”

“It’s alright if you got upset about what happened.” Mark says after a while. It seemed so crazy. He was actually comforting the love of his life about having a one-sided love with the person he likes. Inner Mark is already building a monument for him.

“It is?”

“Yeah,” Mark replied. “I mean he’s a person that you like. If someone does or say anything bad or offensive to the person I like, I would seriously want to punch that person in the face too.”

“I don’t wanna punch you though.” Jinyoung says pouting. “You’re my friend.”

“I am?” Oh no, he should have bought some oxygen like Yugyeom had mentioned to him earlier.

“Yeah, aren’t we friends?” Jinyoung looked up at him curiously. “You know sometimes I’d get jealous when you and the other guys hang out. It seemed like I got left behind. I wish we can hang out sometimes too.”

“Aren’t we hanging out now?” Mark asked, ignoring the fact that Inner Mark kept on yelling “FRIENDZONED! FRIENDZONED! FRIENDZONED!” at the back of his head.

“Oh, you’re right about that.” Jinyoung laughed, and Mark’s heart ached at how beautiful he looks.

 

But at this moment, Mark thinks it was enough. Seeing Jinyoung smile and being comfortable is enough. Just being with him even if not more than just a friend is enough for Mark’s selfish heart.

 

 

 

“What the fuck, Mark?!” Jackson yelled at him as soon as he entered the classroom. “I texted you like fifty times last night!”

“Sorry my phone was in silent.” Mark tried to explain, but Jackson was having none of it. “I didn’t see them till this morning.”

“Yeah, I know. You already texted me about that.” Jackson said bitterly. “Everyone kept asking me at the party, ‘Where’s Mark at?’, ‘Have you talked to him lately?’ and what should I tell them? You don’t even hang out with me and the guys anymore! Look man, I know you’ve been pretty busy lately and I’m glad you’re working hard. But it seems that lately you’re kind of shoving us, your friends, away!”

“Well what should I do then?” Mark retaliated. “I already apologized to you and the other guys and to be honest, I would have invited you to hang out with me if you guys weren’t calling the guys ‘losers’!

“Oh, get off your high horse, Mark.” Jackson answers back. “We know what this is all about. You don’t want to really hang out with them, don’t you? This is just about...”

“Then what about you?!” Mark cuts him off before Jackson can say anything more. Quite frankly their classmates are starting to gather around them and it does not look pleasant. “Aren’t you acting like this because of _him?_ ”

“Don’t bring it up! This isn’t about that!” Jackson exclaimed. “Fuck’s sake, this isn’t about that!”

“Get over yourself, Jackson Wang.”

“You’ve just proven me right that you’re a crappy friend, Mark.” Jackson says finally before leaving, but not without slamming his chair first. Mark only watched him in anger. He sees Jinyoung looking at him worriedly, but right now, Mark just felt suffocated.

 

 

“Well, this is depressing.”

They were back at Yugyeom’s family restaurant and no one was eating at all. Mark felt apologetic bringing the atmosphere down. He should have gone home after all even if the guys offered to cheer him up.

Of course, everyone had gotten a whiff of what happened at the classroom earlier with Jackson. Mark has never been a fight with him in the past and to be honest, he regretted everything that he told his best friend earlier. He knew there were some things he should have done to not make it come to this and there were some things the past few weeks that he lacked for the most part. He just did not realize it would come to this.

“Hey Youngjae, is Jinyoung still coming?” Jaebum asked from his position. He turned on the karaoke machine to have some music in the background, but no one was in the mood to sing.

“Yeah, he texted me he’s already on his way. He’s just doing something... Oh!” Youngjae exclaimed as they hear a knock on the door. “I think it’s him!”

 

“Hey guys! Sorry for being late!” Jinyoung says excitedly when Youngjae opened the door for him. “I had to finish something just now, but guess who I ran into!” Mark looked at him curiously and hoping to the great heavens above that it was not Han Jaesung.

It was not.

It was Jackson.

 

 

“You made him come here, didn’t you?” Mark asked Jinyoung after a while. By then, Yugyeom and Bambam had started a girl group song medley with accompanying dance steps while the others are dying from laughter. It was not long when Jackson joined in even though he has zero idea of what the steps are. Youngjae’s laughter was filling up the whole room. Mark is starting to fear that Yugyeom’s parents might kick them out sooner or later.

“Maybe, maybe not.” Jinyoung said cryptically. “You did make up, didn’t you? So it doesn’t matter if I did or did not do anything to haul Jackson here.” Well, Jinyoung was partly right. All it needed were just a short awkward silence combined with a few nape scratches and a quick bro hug with a light tap on the back before everything went to normal. And it did certainly help when Jackson’s stomach started growling. That was when they all realized that they are all starving as hell.

“You did something. I’m 99.9 percent sure.” Mark narrowed his eyes at him, but Jinyoung only stuck his tongue out as a reply. “Stop being cheeky.” He says chuckling to himself before pinching Jinyoung’s cheek. Mark must have lost his mind, because with the way Rice Cake freezes before him, yeah, he finally lost it. Inner Mark is shaken to the core.

“Hey, what are you guys doing there, flirting all by yourselves? We’re getting lonely over here!” Jackson said in the mic, while the Musketeers all snapped their heads in unison all with smug expressions on their faces. Mark realized he still has not removed his hand from Jinyoung’s cheek. Regretfully, he pulled his hand back and made sure to at least put a gap between them.

“Youngjae, Jackson says he wants to have a duet.” Mark retaliated. Jackson’s ‘I’m gonna throw this microphone at you!’ expression was enough to tell Mark that he had won.

 

 

“Tonight was great. I’m glad we’ve finally get to hang out with the guys.” Jinyoung told him while they were waiting for his bus. “I didn’t know Jackson was that funny. He should come the next time. He seems to still like Youngjae a lot.”

“Ah, please, I’m glad he didn’t freak you guys out.” Mark replied with a snort. “Oh, looks like your bus is here.”

“Right, I’ll see you tomorrow okay?” Jinyoung says with a wave as he ran to the bus door.

“Jinyoung-ah,” Mark called out, making Jinyoung turn around. “Thanks a lot. What you did... I meant so much to me.”

“Anytime.” Jinyoung smiled at him, before hopping on the bus. Mark watches as he paid his fare.

 

He was about to leave when Jinyoung turns around once again and called a “Good night, Mark!” before finally finding a seat. Let’s just say scandalized looks followed Mark home that night, but he hardly cared. Tonight, he will be dancing his way back home.

 

 

 

“Jaebum, does this look right?” Mark was reviewing the revised script had Jinyoung sent them last night and something does not seem right. “Jinyoung kind of removed an entire scene.”

“I know.” Jaebum snorted as he looked through his copy. “I asked him why earlier, and I’m quoting him here: he just said he felt like it didn’t belong to the entirety of the play.”

Mark thought about the deleted scene. It was just a quick scene of Mark’s character reuniting with his first love briefly before entering the war. It did have a lot of skinship with the other person in it which made him uncomfortable at first, so he was kind of relieved when he noticed it was out of the script. It did not sit well with the actress opposite him though. Mark had seen her protesting to Jaebum the moment he had entered the hall that afternoon. Oh well, at least that was a scene out of his worries. His mind was filled with the play the past few weeks, sometimes he answers his parents with lines from it.

“But you know what I think?” Jaebum says cryptically. “I think maybe Jinyoung just don’t wanna see you touching someone else.”

“Haha, very funny.” Mark says with a roll of his eyes. “Is this a new way for you guys to tease me?”

Jaebum shrugged laughing. “We’ll never know, won’t we? I mean, the guy did scrap a whole scene from a play that he wrote.”

 

 

 

“Okay, that’s it. I feel like I’m throwing up.”

It was finally the night of the play. Months of preparation coming down to this. Jackson, who for some reason came to be an honorary member of the club, accompanies him backstage as the lead actor’s one man security team (if that really existed). Bambam had finished his wardrobe and make up half an hour ago and it is just a few minutes left before show time. Yugyeom has just burst in a few minutes ago announcing that for the first time since Theater Club history, they have a full house. Tickets were all sold out and some audiences are still outside hoping for a chance they could get in. If anything, that only made Mark’s face greener. Inner Mark is already a throwing up mess.

“It’s gonna be fine.” Jackson snorted, as if seeing Mark suffer amuses him a lot like a true best friend. “I actually saw some people selling your merchandise while I was doing security checks earlier. Your parents bought one of each.”

“Ugh...” Mark groaned helplessly. Okay, so maybe he has a stage fright. He was just finding about it now, unfortunately.

“Oh fuck, dude, are you seriously gonna throw up?!” Jackson yelped as Mark started grasping his stomach. There was a sudden knocking on the door which made both of them turn. “Get a hold of yourself, Mark Tuan! I’ll be back.”

 

Jackson gasped a silent ‘It’s your muse! Make yourself decent!’ at Mark when he finally found out who was at the door. _Shit._ Mark straightened up immediately and fixed his hair in panic.

“Yeah, come on in, Jinyoung.” Jackson says a few moments later, when he was 100% sure that Mark was not gonna throw up. “Mark’s super cool here. We’re just chilling till show time. Why don’t I leave you two alone for a sec. I’ll just do an inspection, make sure no one bought lasers or monopods or stuff, you know? See you!”

 

“How are you?” Boy, Mark felt his whole world tilt once again as he took in Jinyoung’s look tonight. He was wearing a tuxedo with a cute baby blue bowtie on it. It was one of those rare times that Mark had seen his hair gelled up and it did look nice on him. (His mind is bordering over the word ‘sexy’ but Mark’s willpower is so strong. He wanted to keep everything PG tonight.)

“I’m fine.” With the way Jinyoung chuckled at him, he was definitely not convinced. “Okay... uhm. If you really wanna know... probably half throwing up emoji and half poop emoji.”

“That’s an interesting way of putting it.” Jinyoung closes in on him, that Mark can already smell his sweet perfume. “Here, it’s my lucky coin.” He took one of Mark’s hands and presses a small nickel on his palm. “Whenever I take exams or a play I wrote debuts, I always keep this in my pocket. It’s not really magic, but knowing it’s there makes me feel a lot more relaxed. I’m loaning this to you, okay? Don’t lose it.”

“Are you gonna be alright without this in your pocket tonight?” Mark asked worriedly. “I mean, this is yours Jinyoung. I don’t want to...”

“I’ll be fine.” Jinyoung offered him a reassuring smile. “Tonight, I’m not worried at all. Because it’s you who’s gonna be there performing and speaking the words that I have written, I feel confident that everything will go well.”

 

 

Mark might have had an out of body experience, because the moment that he came back to his senses, Jaebum was already introducing him to the roaring thunders of applause echoing the whole auditorium. Youngjae brought them all bouquets of flowers as the whole cast and crew took one last bow for the crowd. Mark can hear Jackson’s loud ‘That’s my best friend right there!’ shouts from the front seats. He tries to look for Jinyoung in the chorus line and he sees him giving a huge thumb up at him with his eyes sparkling with happy tears. Mark tries to go to him, but as the curtain finally falls, he was suddenly crowded in by hugs and cheers of his other cast mates. A few moments later, he sees Jackson escorting his parents and other well-wishers backstage.

 

When the crowd had dissipated, Mark cannot find him anymore; the person he wants to see the most.

_Please don’t let this dream end._

 

 

 

 

 

Jinyoung watches as Mark’s friends and family gathered around him backstage. The small potted plant rested in his the paper bag in his hand. He bought for Mark as a thank you and congratulations for doing a heck of a job. _Maybe I can just give this to him on Monday._ His small token now rather looked silly compared to the large bouquets of flowers Mark had received. This is what he gets for listening to his sister about gifts. He should have bought him a bouquet as well, but no, Park Jinyoung had decided to give him something special instead. Bad move. Inner Jinyoungie is rolling on the floor and basking on how pathetic he is.

Mark looked so happy surrounded by his loved ones, that even watching the, from afar, Jinyoung felt like he was already trespassing.   _Oh well, it’s alright. Of course he would want to be with them tonight_. He assured himself as he walked back at the dressing rooms. What was Jinyoung thinking anyway? He can always tell Mark congratulations in a text or on Monday if they see each other in class. He really should not be making a big deal out of this. It was not like anything would change now that the play is all set and done. All of them would still get to hang out together even if Mark will be back with the basketball team on Monday.

 

... _Right?_

 

 

“Good job, Jinyoung-ah!” Youngjae as per usual jumped on Jinyoung as soon as he saw his best friend. “Four plays down! My best friend is the most amazing playwright in the world!”

Jinyoung laughed at his best friend’s exaggeration, “That’s too much, Youngjae-ah.”

“But it’s true!” Youngjae exclaimed with widened eyes. “All of us won’t be here tonight if you didn’t make another masterpiece.”

“I’m sure somebody would make one if I wasn’t here.” Jinyoung replied.

“Seriously, you’re too nice, Jinyoung-ah.” Youngjae scrunched his nose at him. “He didn’t come didn’t he?” He asked a few moments later.

Jinyoung shook his head sadly. He was so ready for Youngjae’s usual ‘Why do you keep on inviting him to your plays? He’s never come before, he’d never come ever! Can’t you see he just doesn’t really in all honesty about how you feel, Jinyoung-ah?’ litany, but tonight Youngjae just gave him an exasperated sigh and a quick shake of his head. It would have been better if he just shouted at him as per usual.

“He must have been busy with cram school.” Jinyoung tried to explain, but he, himself, was also getting tired of the same excuses. He was not that stupid. He sees the photos tagged on Jaesung online and yet, a part of himself still hoped that one day he would look at Jinyoung in a different light. “You know he’s a senior. University exams are coming soon.”

“Sure, Jinyoung-ah,” Youngjae replied. “I’m sure last year he was too busy with varsity team activities as well so he was not able to come. Come on, Park Jinyoung. He does not even have the audacity to reply to your texts! I... Fine. I promised myself I won’t say anything more about him. We all care about you, Jinyoung-ah and we don’t have want you to waste your youth for some childhood crush who does not even see you as a proper human being. Okay... I’m getting mad again. Let’s just talk about something else.”

“Hyungs!” Yugyeom swoops in excitedly, followed by an excited Bambam and Jaebum, both dabbing all over the place. “Grilled meat for everyone at our place on the house! Come on!”

 

“You coming?” Youngjae asked while they stared at their silly friends running all over the place.

“I’ll try to follow as early as I can.” Jinyoung answered.

“Ah right, your ritual.”

 

 

 

**_Hi Jaesung-hyung! It’s my new play’s debut on Saturday! I hope you can come. We’d all be glad to see you there!_ **

****

Jinyoung stared pathetically at the ignored message on his phone one last time before bitterly putting it back on his pocket. Clean up has been finally done and everyone had gone off to Yugyeom’s place to celebrate the success of his play. On the other hand, Jinyoung sits himself on the edge of the stage, his feet dangling playfully above the floor.

It has always been a tradition of his to at least stay an hour or so after the debut of his play, soaking up the feeling up till the last bit of it. He always had the thing on the silence that follows. It felt like somehow made Jinyoung remember clearly the sounds of the audiences’ applause. He wants to have all of them etched on his mind. Every single piece he has done.

 

He felt his phone vibrate, Jinyoung quickly fishing it out of his pocket to see who it was. It was a photo of Youngjae and Jackson’s faces stuffed with food. It was captioned, ‘IF YOU DON’T COME HERE SOON, WE’LL EAT EVERYTHING!!! :-P”. Jinyoung snorted at how silly they look. Unfortunately, he caught glimpse of his message to Jaesung once again. He had been used to feeling this way so many times, he was starting to think he was starting to feel immune about being let down by this person so much.

The small potted plant stared up at him from his side. Jinyoung took it out of the paper bag and held the tiny pot in his hand. “Little plant, you’re the only one that I have tonight, so don’t give up, okay? I’ll make sure to give you a nice home. Jackson says Mark has a huge house with a wide garden. I’m sure you’ll be well taken care of there. Mark will make sure of that. He’s nice and handsome and smart and will make you smile. I’m sure your flowers will bloom in no time. Fighting, little plant! Fighting!”

 

_Oh my God. I’m now talking to a plant. Hooray._

 

 

Just then, the Theater Hall’s doors burst open, that Jinyoung almost dropped the tiny potted plant from his hands. From where he was sitting, Jinyoung sees Mark’s huffing and puffing figure walking down the stairway. He looked like he ran a marathon, although despite that, he still looked like a prince who has just come down from his horse,

Jinyoung quickly hid the potted plant back inside the paper bag as Mark finally approaches him. He stood so royally in front of Jinyoung. _He really is the school’s prince._ “There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you! Youngjae told me you might be here! Come on, everyone’s waiting for you.” Mark says still a bit out of breath as he offered his hand to Jinyoung.

“I... I thought you had already gone home.” Jinyoung stuttered in surprise as he looks down at Mark. He unconsciously grasped the paper bag on his side. “I didn’t know you’d be there. Mark, why are you...?”

“And miss a free meal?” Mark snorted as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Never. Yugyeom’s place is the best. Now let’s go. I bet you’re really hungry. I still have to return your lucky coin back to you, right?

“Okay, I’ll get down.” Jinyoung nodded with a smile, motioning as he was about to stand up.

“You can just jump.” Mark suggested as he opened his arms wide. “Come on, I’ll catch you. It’s not that high.”

“Alright.” Jinyoung says finally as he gripped the paper bag tightly in his hand. He squeezed his eyes shut as he pushes himself of the ledge and into Mark’s strong arms. His fists almost turning white as to how tightly he was gripping Mark’s shirt.

 

“Now wasn’t that hard?” Mark chuckled as he let down Jinyoung in his feet. “Let’s go, Jinyoung?” Mark offered his hand once more to him to which Jinyoung took it willingly.

 

 Together they ran up the steps of the auditorium, laughing for reasons unknown to the both of them. Jinyoung feels Mark tightening his grip on him and Jinyoung finally felt safe and protected. It suddenly felt like little blossoms of flowers seemed to appear in his heart, making it flutter softly like a light breeze on a perfect spring day. It felt so light and pure that Jinyoung does not want to let go. He wants to feel this way for a very, very long time, maybe if possible the rest of his life.

 

Tonight, in this dark, moonlit auditorium, Jinyoung had let his heart wait for that person to come. And tonight, he finally realized, his grip tightening in Mark Tuan’s hand determinedly in return:

 

The person his heart was waiting for...

 

 

 

_You’re the person I’m waiting for, Mark Tuan. I’m happy it was you._


	2. 2/2

“So I was telling Jackson earlier that I’d love to go to the movies this Saturday,” Jinyoung heard Youngjae telling him as they finished paying up their lunch trays. “But I made it clear that we’re just going out as friends. He needs to woo me properly. My mom and dad would never ever give him my hand for marriage if he doesn’t do so.”

Jinyoung was about to comment on Youngjae’s statement about his ‘hand for marriage’ when he stopped on his tracks. Apparently he was not the only one to do so, given Jaebum’s loud gasping and Yugyeom and Bambam’s frozen figures.

 

“...What are they doing?” Youngjae says when he finally caught up to the others. “Aren’t they seating on the wrong table?”

“I don’t know.” Jinyoung said in daze as he watched Mark eat his lunch with gusto. He seemed to be laughing at something that Jackson said, causing some of crumbs to get out of his mouth. As hilarious as that might have looked, Jinyoung cannot help, but smile at the scene/ “Well, nothing much to do here isn’t it? Why don’t we just ask them?”

 

They were not the only ones who have noticed the change of sceneries at the lunch table arrangements as some students had to point and do a double take when Jinyoung and the others joined Mark and Jackson at the theater club’s usual table. But Jinyoung did not care. They can look and judge all they want, as if they were not used to it already. He felt the familiar fluttering in his heart as he saw Mark smiled, looking up to him.

 

(Jinyoung tried to ignore Inner Jinyoungie squealing at the sight. He must have been really hungry that this has been happening the past few days.)

 

“Hyungs, what are you doing here?!” Bambam exclaimed, making Mark tear his gaze away from Jinyoung, making him sad for a little bit (Inner Jinyoungie is currently side eyeing him with a smug expression on his face). “Aren’t you two gonna get in trouble if you sit with us? I mean, it’s pretty cool, but aren’t you worried you’ll be tagged hanging out with the theater geeks?”

“Ah, don’t mind that.” Jackson explained with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Don’t exaggerate. We’re more than capable of taking care of ourselves. It isn’t like we’ll be cornered on our way back to class for eating with you guys. We’re in high school, not in a gangster movie.”

“Sometimes they feel like the same thing.” Youngjae chimed in as he started to eat his lunch. “But Bambam’s right. It’s pretty cool that you guys still came and seat with us.”

“It is?” Jackson asked in surprise. “You’re cool with it? Does that mean we can count Saturday’s movie date as a ‘date-date’?”

“Haha, you wish,” Youngjae replied with a roll of his eyes. Despite that, Jinyoung noticed that his best friend was smiling. “My parents won’t allow you to sweep me off my feet easily, especially how you kept them up with your singing before.”

“Ah,” Jackson cringed, scratching his head. “I’ll just make sure father-in-law and mother-in-law will come to like the awesome Jackson Wang really soon.”

Youngjae almost choked on his pasta, but thankfully Yugyeom chimed in. “Hyung, gross. Can you and Youngjae-hyung flirt somewhere else? We’re all trying to eat lunch here.”

“I’m not sorry at all.” Jackson shrugged with a proud smile. “You have to get used to that, Kim Yugyeom. It’s gonna happen a lot from now on.”

“Oh?!” Jaebum gasped, almost spilling his glass of orange juice. “Does that mean that you went through with it?”

Jinyoung saw Mark nodding at Jaebum that he cannot help but ask, “What do you mean? Went through with what?”

It was Mark’s turn to look at him and Jinyoung shifted uncomfortably on his seat. He wishes to the high heavens that the little squeak he think he heard was not him, but Inner Jinyoungie.

“We submitted our forms earlier this morning.” Mark further elaborated with a small smile on his face. “It’s official. We’ve transferred to the theater club.”

“What?” Jinyoung asked, looking at Mark in disbelief, but the latter’s smile was enough response for him. He can feel Inner Jinyoungie is flying to the heavens, but he cannot understand why and yet he cannot help returning Mark’s smile despite himself. “I... I can’t believe it. You guys did... I... Welcome to the club!”

“Thanks,” Mark replied. “I hope you guys weren’t too bothered when Jackson and I invaded your table earlier. We would’ve waited but we’re really hungry.”

“That’s alright.” Jinyoung says, feeling his smile getting wider.

 

It was more than alright. The light feeling on his chest has returned. In the most unexplainable way possible, the past weekend had been like hell to him. He had been very restless at home and he even tried to distract himself by going to his mother’s bakery to no avail. There is a pile of unfinished screenplays on his desk, but that was not enough to take his mind off some things. Well, it was not a lot really, just a certain someone.

 

And that certain someone is looking at Jinyoung right now.

 

_No._

 

He was not supposed to be thinking about him. Or worry that they will not be hanging out together anymore. No, Park Jinyoung should not really be feeling sad about it. Why should he? He was supposed to be thinking about a different person. Not Mark Tuan. No. He was supposed to like –

 

“Hey Jinyoung!”

 

 

 

 

Mark felt Jackson elbowing his stomach as soon as they heard Han Jaesung’s voice. He thought it was unnecessary since he himself would recognize that bastard’s voice anywhere. The scar on his face from the time that Mark punched him was barely recognizable/anymore. He can feel Inner Mark writhing in pain when he sees Jinyoung looked up at him with a small smile on his face as Han Jaesung took a seat beside him.

 

At the back of his mind, Mark remembered Han Jaesung’s words that night. His heart aching at the sight of Jinyoung smiling face at the object of his affections. _That should have been me._ He thought miserably as he tried to focus on the macaroni and cheese he was eating, which does not look appetizing at all. He takes a quick look at his beautiful rice cake. _I just really want you to be happy, Park Jinyoung. That’s all I ever wanted._

“I see you have some visitors in your table today.” Han Jaesung comments, smirking at him and Jackson. “Doesn’t it feel a bit crowded all of a sudden?”

“Yeah, because you came.” Youngjae commented under his breath, but making sure he was heard by everyone at the table. That earned him a reproachful look from Jinyoung. “We were just fine here until you showed up.”

“It’s alright, hyung.” Jinyoung replied quickly clearing his throat. “Mark and Jackson are friends of ours and they’re also the new members of the theater club. They’re welcome to crowd our table anytime. Uhh... I think you guys have already met?” Mark notices Jinyoung quickly giving him an apologetic look.

“We did.” Mark shrugged simply. He does not want to make Jinyoung uncomfortable and sad, so if that meant him being somewhat casual with an (pardon the word) asshole then so be it. That did not stop him from glaring at Han Jaesung’s arm though which are comfortably draped around Jinyoung’s shoulder. It was not just his imagination too. He was pretty sure Jinyoung does not look happy at that gesture as well. (Inner Mark has photo evidences).

“Yeah, we sure did.” Jaesung was looking back at him as if trying to read Mark’s mind. His eyes flickered for a moment to Jinyoung and back at him, making him wonder if Han Jaesung has finally caught on. “But that’s not why I’m here. I just wanna say sorry for not going to your play, Jinyoung-ah. Study group went for hours and I can’t just leave.”

 

**BULLSHIT.** Inner Mark wants to start a war. Han Jaesung was definitely NOT in a study group last Saturday. Quite frankly, he really needs to stop the “study group” excuse, because that is practically an insult to the term itself. No. Mark was pretty sure he has seen photos of Han Jaesung in a senior’s party the other night from his friends’ SNS. He was pretty sure Jinyoung probably knows about it too, looking at his dark expression.

 

“That’s okay, hyung.” Jinyoung says and Mark could not deny seeing the forced smile on Rice Cake’s face. If only he could jump over the table and wrap Jinyoung in a tight hug, he would right away. “I know university exams are coming up. It doesn’t matter.”

“You’re the best, Jinyoung!” Han Jaesung said pulling Jinyoung closer to him. (Inner Mark and real Mark wants to poke his eyes with the fork.) “I promise I’ll go to the next one, okay? Thanks for always supporting me. Say, have you finished that English paper I texted you about? I kinda need it by Wednesday.”

Before Inner Mark can stop him, Mark found himself telling Han Jaesung, “It must have been so hard being a high school senior, hyung. No time to have a good time. I just hope next year all of us can work half as hard as you do. You’re such a role model, hyung.”

 

A brand new type of silence surrounded the table. Jinyoung was looking at him with an unreadable expression. Mark knew he should not have said anything, but can anyone really blame him? Here goes Han Jaesung running his mouth again with all his lies and Jinyoung just forgave him so easily. So yeah, maybe he got really jealous, but at the same time he cannot help but feel disappointed with Jinyoung as well. _Is this guy really worth it, Jinyoung-ah?_ He wants to ask him so bad.

 

“Mark...” Jinyoung started to say, but Mark was not ready to hear any of it. He does not think he would be able to take it especially when Jinyoung is looking at him like that.

“I was just joking,” Mark snorted bitterly, looking intently at his lunch tray. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin lunch for everyone. I guess I’ll just go. I’ll see you guys later.” He stood up from his seat, not being able to take seeing Jinyoung with Han Jaesung any longer.

 

(Inner Mark is rolling on the floor at how overly dramatic he was, but Mark hardly cares anymore. It was not as if he was expecting Jinyoung to run after him. He knew he will not. And it was that fact that makes him miserable the most.)

 

 

 

 

 

“Mark! Mark! Where are you?!”

 

_Ah, is this how I’ll lose my mind? I’m starting to imagine Jinyoung’s voice everywhere I go._ Mark started to wonder ruefully as he leaned on the rooftop’s railings. _Ah, finally some peace and quiet._

 

“There you are!” The rooftop’s door burst open revealing a huffing and puffing Jinyoung. Mark stepped back, if this was an illusion, his mind has really leveled up with the quality. “Did you know it’s bad to make someone run just when he was just finished eating lunch?! If I get a tummy ache you will totally pay my medical bills, Mark Tuan!”

Mark was speechless. He watched as Jinyoung marched over to him. He was trying to look like he was mad at Mark, but it never really reached his eyes. _No._ It might have still been his imagination, but Jinyoung looked like he was about to... cry?

“Jinyoung, I...” Mark stuttered as Jinyoung stepped closer to him. So what else could Mark do, but do the most logical thing in his head right now? He poked Jinyoung’s cheek.

“What are you doing?” Jinyoung asked, voice breaking a little and looking like he was about to burst into tears. Mark pulled back his hand right away. “Why are you suddenly poking my cheek?” His voice broke towards the end, trying so hard not to cry.

“I’m... I don’t know,” Mark does not know what to do. Ninety five percent of his thoughts still assumes that Jinyoung did not really go after him, that this was just his wishful thinking. “Jinyoung, are you alright?”

“I’m not okay!” Jinyoung says wiping his eyes quickly with his sleeves. “You’re mad at me.”

“I’m not,” Mark said, trying to find his handkerchief in his pocket, but of all days he would forget....

“Liar,” Jinyoung sniffed, his nose turning red. “That’s the thing about you, Mark. You’re so brutally transparent that even your expression totally betrays you. But to be honest, it’s totally fine. I’m really mad at myself too.”

 

Mark watches as Jinyoung took the space beside him, leaning on the metal railings as well. “I was really small when I was maybe five or six. I can’t run around much because of my short legs and my sister would rather stay at home and play with her dolls, so no one really likes to play with me at the playground. But when Jaesung-hyung moved to our neighborhood, he always played with me even though the other kids would tell him that I’m a blunder. He still kept me around even though I’ve been quite bothersome for him. I thought he was really cool for doing that.”

“I see,” Mark answered feeling a lump on his throat forming. “Those guys who won’t play with you are jerks. I’m glad he was there to take care of you.”

“He did.” Jinyoung said with a sigh. “I know he was not the same as he was back then. Times have changed and with that I become more and more afraid that if I let go of him, I might end up being with myself again. I guess I’m still somewhat fixated on the idea of Jaesung-hyung who’s always there to protect me. I do owe him a lot, you see. It’s silly, isn’t it?”

“It is, very,” Mark emphasized, looking at Jinyoung intently. “You must have been really blind, Jinyoung-ah. Youngjae, Jaebum, Yugyeom, Bambam, the whole theater club, even Jackson, everyone has your back. You’re never, ever gonna be alone anymore. Everyone’s here for you always, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“You didn’t mention your name.” Jinyoung pointed out and Mark flushed. He purposely did not say his name, thinking he might say something embarrassing in the end. “You said everyone’s name, except yours. When you left the lunch table, I was so worried. You looked at me with so much disappointment at that time. I felt so selfish. Right now, I feel like the whole world can be mad at me, but I can’t take it if it’s you. I’m a bad person, aren’t I? I can’t understand myself. I don’t know why I’m suddenly acting this way, Mark. I don’t. I...”

“It’s alright,” Mark did not trust his hands at the moment, because they are aching to hold Jinyoung’s, so he kept it in his pockets. “You don’t have to figure things out right away. Sometimes, it helps not knowing about things and just let them work by themselves. Besides, I wasn’t lying when I said I wasn’t mad at you. Disappointed, maybe...” He added when he saw Jinyoung about to say something. “But I don’t think it would matter anyway.”

“It does matter to me.” Jinyoung says quietly. “Youngjae says my problem is that I was too stubborn to listen, even though Jaesung-hyung has done this too me countless times, it seems automatic for me to forgive him whenever he apologizes.”

“You do know how to listen,” Mark countered. “It’s just... You’d rather listen to your heart than your mind, which isn’t a bad thing from time to time. Trust me. I do it all the time.”

 

“...Ah, does that mean you do have someone you like already Mark-ah?” Jinyoung asked after a few moments of silence. “Who is it?”

“Yes, to the most beautiful person in the world.” Mark replied, catching Jinyoung’s gaze. _He really is the most beautiful person in the world. His eyes are the most innocent ones I’ve ever seen. I just want to protect him for the rest of my life._ “He has a smile that can brighten up the whole room and a heart that can purify anyone around him. He’s kind and smart and funny. He has the ability to make my heart rate go into overdrive when he’s around, and just by seeing him, he can make my day brighten up. But this person, he doesn’t know how I felt about him because he’s always looking at somewhere else. I told myself when I first saw him that ‘I’m gonna marry that guy’, but right now, I’m fine just standing in the sidelines.” He fixes his gaze with Jinyoung’s making sure that the other hears what he was trying to say, “I don’t know if the day will come when I will be able to tell that person, ‘yah, can’t you see that I’m in love with you?’, but that’s alright. In the meantime, I’m contented protecting him secretly.”

“Wow. That guy is lucky.” Jinyoung says softly and Mark cannot help but look away. “He needs to know how much lucky he is and stop looking the other way. How can he not notice you?”

“I don’t know.” Mark chuckled with a shrug. “It’s pretty obvious he’s very, very dense.”

“Very is the right word.” Jinyoung laughed in return. “If he only knows how much he’s missing out right now. I bet he would feel so silly. You’re a great guy, Mark. It’s impossible for that person to not like you back. I’m sure of it. What you just need to do is to fight for him and make sure he sees you this time.”

Mark smiled. Jinyoung really is the most precious person in the world and this might be the closest thing he would ever be in confessing to him, but hey, maybe he would at least listen to his own advice this time and see how things would work.

 

“I’m just hoping you’re right, Jinyoung-ah.”

 

 

 

“C’mon. Let’s go back to class. I think I heard the bell rang a few minutes ago.”

“Alright.”

“Jinyoung....”

“Hmm?”

“When you came in, did you close the door shut?”

“I think so. Yeah.”

“Did you see the rock I put on to keep the door open?”

“Uhh, I’m not sure. I was too worried when I came in that... Oh my God, Mark! Are we locked out?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Oh no! I’m so sorry! What do we do now?”

 

Mark started to laugh. This is just their luck. Maybe, he was allowed to be selfish for a little bit just this one time. He gently holds Jinyoung’s hand and pulled him back.

“I guess it’s no use.” Mark says as he led Jinyoung to where they were earlier. “We can just have the guys save us later. I know you have a pristine record, Jinyoung-ah, but there’s always a first time to playing hooky.”

Jinyoung shrugged, returning Mark’s smile. “I guess I shouldn’t worry about it anyway. It’s my fault we’re locked out in the first place.”

“That’s the spirit.”

 

 

 

 

 

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, Jinyoung-ah?” Mark has the same boyish smile on his face as he bid good night to Jinyoung.

He does not know how or when, but one second he was hanging with his friends at Yugyeom’s family restaurant and now he found Mark walking him back to their house. Jinyoung felt guilty. He does not even know how far away Mark’s house was from theirs yet he was standing in front of the Park household at eight in the evening.

“Mark,” Jinyoung reached for his arm. Youngjae and him had always hung around each other’s house at some school nights whenever they have some free nights away from the Theater Club, but having Mark standing in front of him right now, feels a whole lot different when he hangs with his best friend. “Text me once you’re home okay? I’m so sorry for keeping you.”

“That’s not a problem.” Mark says. _He’s really too kind._ Jinyoung thought, smiling to himself. “If it’s you, Jinyoung-ah, you can take all my time. “ Jinyoung felt his cheeks warming up right away. He knew Mark was just playing around, especially when he was smiling at him like that. He was just being a nice friend as usual, so there was not any point getting shy or feeling his heartbeat racing. Besides...

_Mark already likes someone else. And you are supposed to like Jaesung-hyung, Park Jinyoung! What nonsense are you thinking right now?_

 

Mark did not leave right away. As soon as Jinyoung enters their house, he runs to their living room, wanting to see Mark walking away. Secretly looking through the window, he watches Mark stalled for a couple of minutes before making his way back home. It made Jinyoung’s heart ache wondering at his ridiculous thought if Mark does this to all of his friends.

 

Does he walk _him_ home too?

 

 

 

Pushing all the bitter thoughts away, Jinyoung looked on the deserted street until he was sure there were no traces of Mark anymore. He heard his phone beeping. It was ridiculous of him to expect that it was already Mark texting him already that he was home. It was not him, of course, but a familiar name that would have made Jinyoung’s heart drop if he received it a few weeks ago.

 

**_Hey Jinyoung! Just wanna remind you about my English paper I need! If you don’t mind, I know I said earlier I need it by Wednesday but change of plans. I need it maybe tomorrow evening. I have a history paper due on Friday that I need you to help me with. That’s why if you can maybe finish the English one earlier. I don’t wanna flood you with my papers. Thanks! I owe you a lot!_ **

Jinyoung stared at the text from Jaesung. He does not understand. Usually he (and Inner Jinyoungie) would have been freaking out, trying to figure out what to reply to his long-time crush, but now. Now, he just feels like a fool. However, that thought was quickly replaced by guilt as he reminded himself that it was Jaesung-hyung he was supposed to be thinking of. So what other choice does he have, but to reply?

**_Okay, hyung._ **

Jaesung replied a few moments later. **_Say, I saw you hanging out with your friends earlier. We haven’t been hanging much around anymore do we? Why don’t you come with me to this party we have this Saturday as a thank you for doing my homework?_**

Jinyoung bit his lip. A part of him feels like he owed himself to at least spend time with Jaesung now that he was asking him out (even if it was only just a thank you). Wasn’t this what he wanted from the beginning? It was Jaesung that he likes. The person that he was supposed to like. But why does it feel so wrong replying to him with a short “ **okay, hyung. See you** ”? Jinyoung does not know anymore.

 

Jinyoung hears another beep from his phone, but this time it was a different name that flashed on his screen. Unaware of the huge smile adorning his features, Jinyoung quickly opened the message and cannot help a small chortle when he saw the content.

 

It was a photo of Mark in the bus, making a silly expression at him. The photo was captioned ‘I’m alone at the bus! Try to sleep soon, Jinyoung-ah! I’ll see you tomorrow!’

It was just such a simple message, but enough to make Jinyoung nervous. It took him several attempts, trying to figure out what to tell Mark in return. Eventually, he did respond to Mark with a message he felt was not too excited and not too boring either. (But that did not stop Inner Jinyoungie from being embarrassed of himself as soon as he sent that message. He wished there was a recall button.)

 

**_Hahaha. You look funny! Be careful on your way home okay? Text me as soon as your home!_ **

****

Mark texted seventeen minutes later informing Jinyoung that he was finally home. For Jinyoung, it was the longest seventeen minutes of his life. For several times, he found his finger hovering over the call button, but thought better of it. He felt ridiculous worrying this way, but he cannot find himself concentrating on his homework that he kept on checking his phone despite it not being in silent mode.

 

Jinyoung had a hard time sleeping that night, not because he was worried about something. No, quite the opposite of that really. He and Mark had chatted for the past three hours, mostly because of the difficult chemistry assignment that they have. And by the end of it, Jinyoung just felt... Happy.

 

He really does not want this to end. He thought as he hugged his favorite plushie. _But Mark already likes someone else and you are supposed to like Han Jaesung. Do not forget that._

 

Jinyoung hugs his plushie tighter.

 

 

 

 

 

Youngjae thought it was a bad idea, so bad that he almost cancelled his “date” with Jackson to accompany Jinyoung to the party. Jinyoung was able to talk him out of it. He knew how much Youngjae had done to protect him and he felt like it was his best friend’s time to have fun. Although Youngjae would deny it, Jinyoung knew how much he was looking forward to Saturday.

 

Jaebum thought the same. He never really trusted Han Jaesung, especially now that he was only asking Jinyoung out for his homework. It was quite shady indeed.

 

Bambam gave him a pepper spray just in case. He gave Jinyoung another bottle during lunch on Friday just to be sure.

 

Yugyeom tried to talk him out of it. He even gave Jinyoung a coupon for free meals on Saturday at their family’s restaurant just so he won’t go.

 

Jackson freaked out when he found out, but Jinyoung already told him that Youngjae is still going him to their movie date on Saturday. Basically he had no other choice.

 

Jinyoung also made Jackson promise not to tell Mark. He did not even know why he felt the need to do that.

 

Somehow, Jinyoung felt that if he tells Mark about going out with Han Jaesung this Saturday and Mark says no... He most probably would not go through with it. And it scares that he was having those kinds of thoughts.

 

Mark probably will not care about it as much as Jinyoung was hoping for him to be. Silly, selfish Park Jinyoung and his ridiculous thoughts.

 

 

 

Saturday could not have come soon enough. And Jinyoung found himself drowned in a sea of drunken high school students in a house of a senior student he barely knew.

He never really liked going to parties. Not that he thought going to one is wrong though. Blame it to his introverted personality or whatever, but he never really enjoyed the atmosphere in the first place or the taste of beer. He would rather spend his entire weekend reading at home or writing the screenplay for the Theater Club’s upcoming Christmas play.

 

 

“Hey, Jinyoung! Are you having fun yet?” Jaesung sat beside him on the couch Jinyoung was sitting the whole time since they have arrived. This is the first time that he saw Jaesung since they came. Although Jinyoung cannot blame him in the first place. Jaesung-hyung is such a popular guy and he was rather popular, so all Jinyoung could do was to just sit in one area and not cause any trouble. He was lucky enough that Jaesung still wanted to hang out with him in the first place.

“I am. Thanks, hyung.” Jinyoung said with a smile. He can tell from Jaesung’s red face and the smell of mixed alcohol and smoke that he had been doing quite a lot tonight.

Jaesung leaned in close to him, making Jinyoung shift uncomfortably in his seat. “You seem bored, Jinyoung-ah. Why don’t we get out of here?” Jaesung says, his words, terribly slurred, pulling Jinyoung from his seat and out of the party.

 

 

Jinyoung tried to talk Jaesung out of it, since he was worried that his hyung was a little bit drunk and it would be a bit dangerous if he drove them home drunk. However, the elder’s hand’s grip on his wrist was too tight while he forces Jinyoung inside his car, shouting at Jinyoung to keep it shut. Jinyoung felt his heart beating fast. He was scared. Scared seeing Jaesung eyeing him darkly from the driver’s seat. Jinyoung holds the seatbelt around him tightly, counting the seconds till he was safely back at home.

_Mark, please come and save me._

 

 

Han Jaesung did not drive him home. Instead, they ended up on a part of a city that Jinyoung had not been in before. Jinyoung nervously scanned the surrounding buildings when he finally realized where Jaesung was about to take him, what the person who he looked up to almost all his life was about to do to him. He felt his whole belief getting shattered right at that moment. Han Jaesung, Park Jinyoung thought this was the person who was going to protect him for the rest of his life. Or so he hoped he would have. Jinyoung was so wrong.

“Let me out of the car, hyung.” Jinyoung said quietly from his seat. He does not know when Jaesung would stop driving and he was scared that soon enough he would find a love hotel to bring Jinyoung in. “I’m going home.”

Jaesung swerved the car sharply to the curb, making Jinyoung’s hands shiver at this point. Jinyoung thought Jaesung was allowing him to get out of the car when he felt the older shoving him back in his seat and held Jinyoung’s wrist tightly.

“What’s wrong, Jinyoung-ah?” Jaesung says leaning close to Jinyoung’s ear drunkenly. Jinyoung was frozen in his seat, shaking. “Isn’t this what you wanted from the beginning? Come on, don’t act shy now. You like me, don’t you?”

Jinyoung felt disgusted, of himself, of Han Jaesung. He wanted to scream, but he seemed to not be able to find his voice. All he wanted was to run away, far, far away from Han Jaesung. All of his willpower seemed to be washed away by fear as he feels Jaesung’s touch turning roughly every second, that he feels his wrist was about to break into two. He wanted to be saved, he wanted to shout, and he wanted someone to take him away from here. All Jinyoung wanted, his mind, his heart, his soul begging and screaming for one person and one person only...

 

“Mark!” Jinyoung cried all of a sudden. He felt tears dampening his cheeks already as Han Jaesung pulled back and looked up at him in undisguised surprise.

Feeling that this is his one and only opportunity to escape, Jinyoung used all of his strength to push Jaesung away with a punch on his face. He takes out the pepper spray Bambam has given him and sprayed Jaesung straight in his eyes. Seeing the other recoil back on his seat, he hurriedly took the seatbelt off of him and got out of the car.

Jinyoung does not know where to go, but he continued to run away as far as his adrenaline would take him. Finally, he found himself in a familiar part of the city. He felt relief when he sees a 24 hour convenience store nearby and it was only then that he had finally have the courage to take out his phone, his hands shaking as he dialed the number of the only person in his mind right now.

 

 

 

 

 

“Ah! It’s so boring!” Mark shouted as he plopped on his study table. It was supposed to be the weekend, but he has nothing else to do. He had been so used to spending his Saturdays hanging out with the Theater Club, but since they are currently into a four week hiatus before they prepare for the winter play, he had no choice but to stay at home. His phone has been beeping nonstop, because Jackson kept on sending pictures from his date with Youngjae. As much as he was happy for his best friend’s love life, he cannot say the same thing for his.

He sees the little plant that Jinyoung gave him as a thank you for the last play’s success. It brought an automatic smile on his face. “I wonder what Jinyoung-ah’s doing right now. Do you think he’s also bored right now, Sprout?”

_Sprout._ His mother thought it was silly at first, naming a little plant, but she understood right away when Mark told her that it was a gift from Jinyoung. He had to fight for it since his mom wanted to put little Sprout in their garden, but Mark insisted that he stayed in his room. To prove his point, he made sure to put him near the window, giving it enough sunlight and to water it every day.

Mark checked his SNS accounts for the nth time that day. Unfortunately, he has not seen any updates from Jinyoung today. One thing he was glad about was the fact that he can shamelessly double check Rice Cake’s account since they became friends. (Inner Mark is still judging him so hard though, but Mark tries to ignore him.)

As if on cue, Mark heard his phone ringing. He was surprised to see Jinyoung’s name flashing on the screen. Jumping from his seat, he hurriedly fetched the device from his bed.

“Hello, Jinyoung-ah?” Mark says, but as soon as he heard Jinyoung’s voice he knew that something went terribly wrong.

 

 

 

Mark found Jinyoung sitting on the corner most seats inside the convenience store. Jinyoung looked pale and fidgety as he looked around the place. His eyes are bloodshot red and his skin looking pale that Mark cannot help but run to him as quickly as he can. Jinyoung sees him immediately and stood up. He saw the relief washing over Jinyoung’s expression, bringing some peace in Mark’s troubled heart.

“Jinyoung, oh my god...” Mark tried to say, his voice shaking. Jinyoung latched on to him right away, crying his eyes out. He sits the both of them back on the table, stroking his hair gently. He can feel Jinyoung shivering under his touch.

Mark does not say anything, more of because he can feel the anger rising up his throat. He wanted to destroy Han Jaesung right at this moment; for making Jinyoung like this, for even attempting to do a bad thing to the person he loves the most in the world. Mark was mad beyond reason, and he was not even there to protect Jinyoung when Jinyoung needed him the most. He should have known he should have been there; he should have taken away Jinyoung right from the very beginning.

 

“What did he say,” Jinyoung says quietly when he had calmed down after a little while. “That time when you punch him, what did he say?”

“I... Just something bad,” Mark stumbled on his words. He does not really want to lie, but given the situation, it will be better if Jinyoung does not know. “It doesn’t matter, just something stupid.”

“I’m so sorry this is a bit presumptuous but,” Jinyoung says looking up at Mark with his beautiful sparkling sad eyes. “Was it about me?”

“...No.” Mark says a little too quickly, that he had to cringe a little.

Jinyoung snorted bitterly, “Haven’t I told you already that you’re too transparent, Mark-ah?” He took a deep breath. “I kind of expected it already, him saying things behind my back. I’m just... I’m so sorry, Mark. You got in trouble because of that, but also... I want to thank you at the same time. Ah, I don’t know what I’m saying anymore. My mind is so cluttered with so many things; I don’t know if I’m still making sense”

“It’s alright,” Mark says, daring to hold Jinyoung’s hand. It felt so warm against his. “I’m not just saying it. Everything’s gonna be okay. Trust me.”

“I do.” Jinyoung nodded his head with conviction. “I do, just so you know.”

“It’s getting late,” Mark says looking at the time. Jinyoung’s parents must be worried already. “I should go ahead and take you home.”

Jinyoung hesitated for a bit. “I... I’m scared.” He says quietly, worriedly biting his lip. “I... I don’t want my mom and dad seeing me like this. And... I feel like h-hyung will find me there. I don’t... I don’t want to see him _ever again_.”

Mark thought about it for a bit, “Well, if that’s the case. If you won’t mind, I’ll take you to the safest place in all of Seoul.”

 

 

 

“Yes, mom. Yeah, okay, I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.” Mark hears Jinyoung says to his mother before hanging up. They were almost at their Mark’s house. Jinyoung had calmed down a whole lot along the way. Mark steered his father’s car a little bit slower as they got closer.

“Everything’s good with your parents?” Mark looked at Jinyoung from his seat.

“Yeah,” Jinyoung chuckled from his seat. “My mom was a bit surprised, but when she found out I’m gonna be staying overnight at your place, she was totally fine with it. She was your fan, you see, ever since she watched you at the play. It’s funny.”

“Ah,” Mark says, his cheeks reddening. So, mother-in-law, oh, Jinyoung’s mom already approves of him. _Ah, stop thinking about that. This is not the time, Mark Tuan._ “I really don’t know what to say about that, but I’m really flattered. I mean, the nation’s #1 playwright’s mom praising me...”

“Stop it,” Jinyoung chided. “Although you were so amazing in your performance, I can’t thank you enough.”

“You don’t have to,” Mark replied, while he parked his father’s car in the driveway. “I’m just glad, you’re feeling better now. You’re smiling again.”

“Oh, I’m...” Jinyoung says, looking like he had been caught off guard, his cheeks turning pink. “I am feeling much better and much, much safer. Thanks to you.” Mark felt his heart aching as Jinyoung offered him a small grateful smile. “I’m so sorry if I’m such a burden tonight.”

“That’s not a problem at all.”

 

 

 

 

 

Mark should have known. That was his single thought as he face palmed himself as soon as they entered the doorway. His parents are already waiting for them with knowing smiles on their faces. As soon as they saw Jinyoung, they have not stopped fawning over him. Mark just wishes Jinyoung to not be traumatized. He had been through enough tonight.

It has not been a secret really, especially to his parents, how special Jinyoung is to him. Mark never really found the need to keep it from them. In his seventeen years of life, there had only been a handful of times his parents had embarrassed him. As much as Mark loves them a whole bunch, he cannot handle how – for the lack of a better word – ‘extra’ they were being right now.

 

“Ah! Jinyoung-ah!” Mark heard his mother exclaimed. “Mark didn’t tell us you were coming tonight! We could’ve prepared a feast for you. Unfortunately, my dear son only informed us you were coming just now! Do you want something? Maybe Auntie can whip us something for you! Hold on, I know it’s late, but I think I can still make you some pancakes!” she says, before heading to the kitchen.

“I was such a fan of your work, Jinyoung,” Mark’s father interrupted, leading a confused Jinyoung, but smiling to their living room. Mark trailed with them just in case. “I almost cannot believe it when Mark told me it was a classmate who wrote the play! I was crying the entire time! Well, me and my wife both are!”

“Dad...” Mark tried to plead with his father, but only going in from one ear and out of the other in a snap. “Please, tone it down for a bit.”

“Aha!” His father chuckled at him. “Look at this, boy! Why are you suddenly getting all shy? You always talk about Jinyoung! Believe me, Jinyoung. He won’t stop talking about you!”

“Really?” Jinyoung turned at him and Mark flushed right away. Rice Cake was smiling at him warmly, obviously not deterred by Mark’s dad exposing him. “You talk about me? I didn’t know that.”

“Dad’s exaggerating.” Mark mumbled under his breath, clearing his throat to hide his embarrassment. “Don’t listen to him.” But Jinyoung only giggled at him as he continued listening to the story of Mark’s dad.

 

 

“I’m so sorry. I hope my parents didn’t freak you out.”

It was an hour and a half later when finally; _finally,_ they were able to settle Jinyoung inside one of the guest rooms. Mark’s mom was not joking when she prepared a pancake feast for Jinyoung. Luckily, Jinyoung seemed like he enjoyed himself, chatting with Mark’s parents. Mark just let them be. He was just happy that Rice Cake was enjoying himself and getting comfortable bit by bit.

“Your parents are so nice.” Jinyoung says with a small smile on his face. “I can understand now why you’re such a good guy.”

“Ah,” Mark scratched his head in embarrassment. “That’s too much. I just did what any good friend would have done.”

“Right,” Jinyoung hesitated for a little bit. He averted his gaze for a bit, before staring back at Mark. “Mark... I, I don’t know how I can thank you and your family enough. I have been such an inconvenience for you guys tonight that I...”

“Jinyoung,” Mark interrupted. “Don’t worry about it. We’re happy to have you here. I mean, you’ve seen my mom and dad. I think you’re more welcome here than I ever was.” Jinyoung returned his smile. “I’m just glad you’re okay, that you’re safe. That’s the only thing that matters the most. You’re not alone, okay? Don’t ever forget that.”

“Thank you.” Jinyoung says softly. For a few moments, they just stared at each other. Mark did not even know what to say. He was already getting lost in Rice Cake’s eyes. _I will protect you no matter what._ He promised himself.

“Have a good night’s sleep after you take a shower, okay? Towel’s in the bathroom and there are some spare pajamas on the counter.” Mark finally says as he heads to the door, but not without waving a short goodbye to Jinyoung.

“Good night, Mark.”

 

 

 

Mark cannot sleep. He has a lot of things in his mind right now, most particularly about the other person staying in the guest room across from his. There were a lot of things that transpired tonight, but that does not matter anymore. Han Jaesung does not matter anymore. As much as it was true that Mark wants to murder him, his anger will not lead anywhere, will it? He has decided from the moment he saw Jinyoung cry that he will fight for him, to hell and back.

_I will not make you cry, Jinyoung-ah._

_I’ll make sure that the next time you will it’s because you feel so happy that you can’t contain your happiness anymore._

 

Mark was about to drift to sleep when he heard some soft knockings on his door. He thought it was only his imagination, but to his surprise, it was Jinyoung looking so soft and vulnerable wearing Mark’s old pajamas. He had brought his pillows with him. There was a hesitant expression on his face as soon as Mark opened his door.

“C... can I sleep here?” Jinyoung asked quietly. “It’s just... I can’t sleep in the room alone and I feel... s-scared. I’m... I’m sorry. This is silly. I’ll just return to the guest room. I’m so sorry Mark.”

“N-no! It’s okay!” Mark replied nervously. It was not that he did not want to. It was just...It was _Rice Cake sleeping in his room._ INNER MARK IS IN FULL ALERT MODE. MAYDAY.  “You can sleep in here, Jinyoung-ah.”

Jinyoung’s face brighten up almost immediately as he entered the room. “Thank you!” Mark was already freaking out seeing Rice Cake bounced around the room happily. “Oh! You’ve kept the little plant here!” He says when he saw Sprout by the bedroom window.

“Ah you mean, Sprout?” Mark trails after him as Jinyoung cooed at the little potted plant. “Yeah, mom wants to take it outside, but I wanted him here.”

“Sprout?” Jinyoung turned to him with an amused expression. “Is that his name?”

“Yeah,” Mark answered with an embarrassed expression. Oh well, his parents had been exposing him all night anyway. There was no point in feeling awkward anymore. “I’d prefer taking care of him since it’s a gift from you.”

“I’m glad Sprout’s doing well. Thank you.” Jinyoung said lightly and Mark feels his heart getting warmer. Inner Mark meanwhile was too busy doing ballet.

 

 

 

“I’ll sleep on the floor, Jinyoung-ah, okay? You take the bed.”

Mark was just about to go out and get the extra futon from the other room, when he felt Jinyoung pulling him back with the fabric of his shirt. He had his head hung, staring blindly at the floor. Mark turned to him to see what was wrong, but Jinyoung only shook his head at him.

“If you sleep on the floor, I’ll sleep on the floor too.” Jinyoung said quietly, looking up at him with pleading eyes. “We can just share the bed. I... Don’t leave me please.”

 

 

If Mark cannot sleep earlier, then now, there was no way he was getting a wink of sleep tonight. Park Jinyoung aka Rice Cake aka Mark Tuan’s love of his life is literally on his bed, just centimeters away from him. He honestly cannot move, let alone breathe. He wanted to check so bad if Jinyoung’s already sleeping, but he was too nervous. He can hear his heartbeat in his ears.

“Mark?” Jinyoung asked all of a sudden that Mark nearly jumped in surprise. “Are you awake?”

“Yeah,” Mark replied, feeling his throat getting dry. “Is everything alright?”

He feels Jinyoung shifting in his position. “Yeah, everything’s well.” Mark can feel Rice Cake’s eyes on him, so throwing all logic out of the window; he shifted himself as well so he and Jinyoung will be face to face.

“What’s up?” Mark asked, his heart rate going on overdrive because Jinyoung’s face (and lips) is literally inches away from him.

“I know you’ve told me that I don’t have to say it anymore, but thank you.” Jinyoung says softly. His eyes looking so sincere and determined. “For everything, Mark. I realized that since the day we’ve been friends, all you did was save me. Thank you. And also for taking care of Sprout, I’m so happy seeing him alive and healthy. I wouldn’t have known what could have happened to me if I hadn’t met you.”

“And like I said, I’m just glad you’re okay,” Mark says with a smile, which Jinyoung returned right away. _Damn, I’m really in love with this guy, aren’t I?_

“When J-Jaesung-hyung was trying t-to t-touch me,” Jinyoung’s lips trembled, his eyes welling up immediately. “I got so s-scared. My mind went almost blank. You’re the only one I can think of. I w-wanted you t-to save me. I g-guess what I’m trying to say i-is, I’ll forever be grateful that you came, Mark. You’re always making me smile, making me so happy...”

Mark reaches his hand to wipe the tears from Jinyoung’s cheeks. Jinyoung felt so soft under his touch. He can feel Jinyoung’s lashes tickling his fingers as he fluttered his eyes shut. “I will always come, Jinyoung-ah. I promise I’ll always protect you from now on.”

Mark watches as Jinyoung nodding his head convincingly. His beautiful eyes meeting Mark’s once again. He feels Jinyoung’s hand reaching for his. They did not say anything, but just held their gazes together, their fingers intertwined under the blanket. Mark squeezing Jinyoung’s hand as if emphasizing his point. _I promise to protect you._ He felt Jinyoung leaning in and squeezing his hand back as if telling him that _I trust you. I believe you. Thank you._

 

And maybe it was that moment that Mark finally felt that he could breathe. That from now on, everything will be alright. That it was okay for him to take a step closer to the person waiting for him from the other side. And so that was what he did. He can feel his hands shaking as he slowly lets go of Jinyoung’s hand.

Mark sees Jinyoung’s eyes slightly widen in surprise when he pulls him against him. His heart was beating so fast as he tucked Jinyoung’s head gently under his chin, wrapping his arms around the other. For a short moment, he wondered if Jinyoung could hear the loud heartbeat from his chest. If he did, then Jinyoung did not seemed to be bothered by it, especially when Mark felt the other wrapping his arm around him in return,

Neither of them said anything. In their own little space of comfort, neither of them felt the need to.  

 

 

 

 

 

Youngjae obviously was already in the loop come Monday morning, because he looked like he was about to raise some hell when they were gathered on their usual table during lunch.

“I will kill him.” Youngjae ranted from his seat. “I will seriously kill him. We should have him reported. I swear!”

“I already did.” Jinyoung replied to calm his friend down. “Earlier this morning. I haven’t been able to tell you yet, sorry. Mark accompanied me to the principal’s office.” It took a lot of convincing from Mark the whole weekend to have the incident reported to the school’s authorities, but Jinyoung was glad he did go through with it.

“Although, unfortunately,” He continues ruefully. “I don’t think anything will happen though. His parents are both in the school’s board of directors. I’m just glad I was able to at least punch and pepper spray his face. He doesn’t look good, does he?”

“Ah,” Jaebum chimed in, doing a quick look where Jaesung was sitting. “Well, his face doesn’t look good in any other way, in the first place. Good job.”

“So, what should we do about it then?” Yugyeom says from his seat mischievously. “I’m thinking spray paint and baseball bats and maybe we should do something about his tires.”

“No!” Jinyoung shook his head in disagreement. “No violence and vandalism! We can’t stoop down to his level. I don’t want you guys to be in trouble because of that guy’s fault.”

“But hyung...” Bambam protested.

“No please,” Jinyoung said with finality. “Don’t do it for me, okay? Let’s just forget it and just move on. It was my fault in the first place for not listening to you guys all along.”

“Well, you’re right,” Youngjae looked at him sternly. “You should’ve listened to us in the first place, but as much as that was true, it’s not your fault that he’s an entitled prick.”

Youngjae looked like he was about to still say something else when Bambam shushed him all of a sudden. “Hyung, be quiet! Your prince and Jinyoung-hyung’s prince are coming!”

Jinyoung flushed. _His prince?_ Since when has Mark been his prince? Inner Jinyoungie is already judging him so hard because he automatically assumed that what Bambam meant to be “his prince” is Mark Tuan. Jinyoung wants to bury himself to the ground. (But not that deep because he still wants to see Mark at some point.)

 

 

 

“What’s up guys?” Jackson greeted rather loudly and cheerfully as he and Mark joined their friends. “Nice day, isn’t it?”

“What are you so chirpy about?” Youngjae eyes him in annoyance. “Haven’t you heard about what happened?”

“I did, my precious otter.” Jackson blinked at him dreamily, which made Youngjae grimace at him due to the term of affection. “It was horrible.” He turned to Jinyoung and gave him an apologetic smile. “I hope you’re alright, Jinyoung. Don’t you worry Mark and I will make sure no one touches anyone at the table. Everyone here is untouchable.”

To emphasize his point, Jackson pulls up the sleeves of his uniform and shows off his biceps. Even Mark was getting secondhand embarrassment from his best friend.  As much as Jackson was trying to bluff himself out of the situation, he was at least correct. He was glad to know that he at least has his best friend’s back especially when he told Jackson about what happened.

Both of them were more than happy to see Han Jaesung lining up with them at the cashier earlier. Mark wanted to make a statement, so he made sure he caught his former rival’s eye and glared at him furiously, making sure that the other got his message clearly: _If you touch Park Jinyoung anywhere, you’re not only gonna get punched. I will end you without even thinking about it._ Jackson backed him up perfectly while flexing his biceps and cracking his fists.

Let’s just say Han Jaesung quickly walking away in fear was more than satisfying to watch, mainly because the senior made sure he was surrounded by his friends when Mark and Jackson walked past their table. _Coward._

 

But Han Jaesung is not important anymore anyway, Mark thinks in determination. All that matters is here, right here sitting around this table. He watches in amusement as Jackson yelled at the two youngest of their friends who were trying to throw their fries at him when his best friend said something outrageous once again. They laughed watching Yugyeom and Bambam got chased around the cafeteria by Jackson whose hair not covered by varieties of salt and potatoes.

He accidentally catches Jinyoung along with them. It was good to see him laugh once again. Mark had made sure he was able to drop Jinyoung home, come Sunday morning and had been talking to him ever since, whether on the phone or through their SNS. It might have been a bit selfish on his part; it was a bit of a comfort for him that he made sure Rice Cake was doing just fine at home.

 

“Mark?” Jinyoung looked at him curiously with a slight frown that Mark wanted to iron the wrinkles with his fingers. “Is everything alright? Do I have something on my face?” He brings his small fingers consciously on the corners of his lips.

Mark shook his head with a small smile on his face. “Yup, everything’s perfectly fine now.”

Jinyoung returned his smile.

 

 

 

 

 

“I can’t concentrate.” Jinyoung says in all seriousness as he lowers down his chemistry book. “Sprout is staring at me. He’s calling his father. He doesn’t want me to suffer through all these formulas and elements and compounds.”

Mark looked up at him from the other side of the table. “Ah, don’t make excuses, Park Jinyoungie.” He handed Jinyoung the heavy textbook once again, which the other responded with a look of reproach and a small pout on his lips. _Ah, you’re really bad for my whole being, Rice Cake._ Inner Mark is currently spazzing. “Now, go study and stop bringing Sprout into this, who by the way for your information is my child, so I’m his father.”

“But I’m the one who gave him to you!” Jinyoung protested from his seat. “So I’m supposed to be his dad!”

“Alright, alright,” Mark eyed him in adornment. Jinyoung was clearly stalling for them to delay studying chemistry, which Mark learned Rice Cake hated because he would rather finish writing scripts all night than memorize formulas.

However, since the club is on a hiatus and exam season is coming, everyone is on study mode right now. Mark does not know how it came about, but it seemed that it was an elaborate scheme done by their friends that Jinyoung is now sitting in Mark’s room for the second time in the past three days. It was just fortunate that Mark was getting good enough chemistry grades compared to Jinyoung’s.

“Let’s just agree that we’re both Sprout’s fathers.” Mark blurted out before he was able to stop himself. He can feel his cheeks warming up immediately, even Inner Mark is blushing. He looks at Jinyoung who was staring back at him with an unreadable expression on his face, so he tried to play it off with a small laugh. Hopefully Rice Cake would just assume he was just kidding. (Although as much as he really wanted to have kids with Jinyoung aside from Sprout *coughs*)

“So Sprout’s our child then?” Jinyoung asks after a short while still staring at Mark. “Since you know, we’re both his dads.”

Mark swallowed. Jinyoung was finally turning the pages on the chemistry book. Rice Cake did not seem to have minded what Mark said earlier, so he breathed out in relief. “Yeah he’s our kid.”

 

 

 

_Stupid Jinyoung. Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ Jinyoung could tell his cheeks are bright pink right now as he pretended to be busy on his chemistry textbook. He tried to read what was written on the page, but could not process anything in his mind. Mark seemed to be back to studying once again, so he does not seemed bothered by what Jinyoung had said earlier. _Ah, I better get back to studying once more instead of thinking about co-parenting Sprout with Mark or else I’ll really fail the chemistry exam._

 

He does not know what he was thinking. As much as he tries to push it out of his mind, he cannot deny that he was starting to feel a little differently for the guy sitting across from him. _Mark Tuan, what are you doing to me?_ And he knows it was not right. He knew from the premiere night of the play that something was starting to bloom in his heart, but it seems that it has grown into something larger than Park Jinyoung has experienced before and it scares him. It frightens him till the tips of his fingers to the point that even Inner Jinyoungie was afraid to tell it to anyone, even to his best friend in the whole wide world, Choi Youngjae.

 

Because Jinyoung knows that once the words come out of his lips, everything would feel too real and he cannot have that given all the things that happened recently. _Besides, Mark likes someone else._ He reminded himself for the _nth_ time already.

 

Mark looked up at him with a smile as Jinyoung was trying to secretly gaze at him over the pages of the book, catching him off guard _once more._

 

_How can I stop myself from feeling this way if you’re being like that?_

 

 

 

 

 

“Tomorrow, we’re gonna do a mock test. See if you remember everything we studied tonight.”

Mark has a teasing smile on his face that Jinyoung just wanted to erase, but that does not stop the smile that formed on his lips. Mark was walking him down to the bus station after their little tutoring session.  Jinyoung had to turn him down a few times, because Mark had insisted that he drive him home since it was a bit late. But Jinyoung could not impose on his friend any longer. The Tuan family had more than been accommodating the past few days and Jinyoung did not want to bother them more than he did already

 

Besides, Jinyoung’s heart (and cheeks!) might not take it anymore if he was to stay in a closed space with Mark Tuan any longer. _This is bad._ Inner Jinyoungie is currently passed out, because a certain _Mark Tuan_ had to smile a lot tonight. Inner Jinyoungie is a bit overheated.

 

“Hmph,” Jinyoung pouted thinking of the dreaded mock test tomorrow which he may or may not do just fine since he probably spent the seventy percent of the time trying not to get distracted by Mark’s serious gazes and rough voice.

  _Oh THIS IS SO BAD PARK JINYOUNG! Once you arrive home, you will head straight to your room and restudy everything that Mark thought you tonight. He is a good friend of yours and you cannot be feeling this way, because Mark was just being a nice, cool, amazing, handsome, sexy... perfect... prince... What the...? FOCUS! YOUR MIND IS WONDERING OFF AGAIN! CONCENTRATE AND FOCUS ON THE RIGHT THINGS!_

_Besides..._

_Mark already likes someone else, okay?_

_Right. Don’t forget about that._

 

 

“Jinyoung?” Jinyoung hears Mark say, ultimately distracting him from his inner thoughts. “Are you okay? We’re already at the bus stop.”

“Oh,” Jinyoung said distractedly as he takes on his surroundings. “Right, sorry about that. I just got a bit distracted. It must be all the chemical formulas we were memorizing all night.” He tried to play it off with a little laughter.

“Okay,” Mark’s eyebrows furrowed as if he was not certain that what Jinyoung told him was correct. “Uh, are you sure you don’t want me driving you home, Jinyoungie? I mean, it is a bit late and you must be tired. We can just go back home. I’m sure my dad will be perfectly alright with it.”

“No, it’s fine.” Jinyoung says with his hands held up, his cheeks turning rosy pink “I’m... Thank you so much, Mark, but I assure you I’ll be fine. You’ve been to our house. The stop’s just a couple of blocks away. You and your parents have been so nice. I don’t know how to make it up to you anymore.”

“And like I always tell you,” Mark shook his head, smiling. “There’ no need. You’re always welcome anytime you want. And look, your bus is here!”

 

Jinyoung turned around where Mark was pointing at.  He does not want to go home just yet. Both his mind and heart want to talk with Mark more, to spend more time with him, but unfortunately he cannot. He wondered for a second since when had he started feeling this way. Being with Mark, for some odd reason, has always made Jinyoung feel light and happy – that he could finally breathe. He felt free when he was with him. _Free._

 

_I don’t want to go home. I want to stay with you a little longer. I want to be with you._ Jinyoung wanted to say, but his heart was aching, because he could not let the words out. Instead with a small wave, he bid Mark good night and stepped on the bus. Mark gave him a short wave just as Jinyoung was able to find a seat by the window. It made him smile a little.

Mark _always_ made sure that Jinyoung was sitting safely inside the bus and he will not leave until the bus does. Jinyoung would always watch him from his seat, turning his head until his neck started to ache and it will not be possible to see Mark any longer.

He watches as Mark fished out his phone from his pocket, press a few buttons and put it on his ear, looking up at the bus expectantly. Jinyoung could feel his heart skip a beat, because a few moments later, he hears his own phone beeping. Mark’s goofy face flashed on the screen and Jinyoung felt his heart dropped as his finger shakily answers the call.

 

“Let’s talk on your way home,” Mark says from the other line. He has the identical goofy smile on his face as he waves carelessly at Jinyoung. “I wanna be sure that you get back home safely and I won’t put this phone down until you’re at your doorstep.”

 Jinyoung felt a lump got stuck on his throat. The bus had started to move and he watched as Mark’s figure gets smaller and smaller by the second. He was not sure why he was all of a sudden getting emotional, but as if lightning bolt struck his heart right at that moment. He tried to open his mouth to say something in reply, but instead a drop of tear falls down on his cheek.

 

And all of a sudden, as if a final piece of a puzzle completes the whole picture...

 

(Inner Jinyoungie is biting on his pillows in anticipation. His little popcorn bucket thrown on the floor.)

 

“Ahjussi!” Jinyoung cried frantically. He quickly grabs his bag and stands on his feet. His phone held on his hand tightly, running to the bus driver and trying not to lose his balance. There were a few passengers already watching him in judgement. _He has to get off the bus. He has to._ “Ahjussi! I... I’m so sorry. I need to get off the bus! I need to! Please!”

Jinyoung thinks he hears the bus driver says something grumpily as he lets him off the vehicle, but he does not care anymore. He runs back frantically at the bus stop a few feet away where Mark was still there, his phone still on his ears with a worried expression on his face.

 

“Jinyoungie, are you alright?” Mark says anxiously as he meets Jinyoung midway. “Is everything alright? What’s going on?”

Jinyoung was a mess. He must be. His eyes were welling up with tears every second and he could not stop. He tried wiping of his face with his sleeves, but it was no use. A fresh batch of tears comes out when he does anyway.

“I...” _I like you._ Jinyoung wanted to say, but he had to stop himself since he was about to cry once again. _Why is this so hard?_ “I... I... I forgot to say good night to you.” He says through his tears. _I like you. I like you so much. I like you a lot, Mark Tuan._

He wanted to say those words so bad.

_But you like someone else._

_And it hurts that I cannot say those words to you and get my heart broken again, but I like you too much that I feel like my heart is bursting right now. I wanted to be with you. I want you to look at only me and be your favorite person in the whole world. And now I’m getting jealous and mad at myself because I’m so selfish when it comes to you, Mark._

_I really like you so much._

_And I’m so sorry I didn’t come earlier._

 

Jinyoung was still sobbing so much, when he felt Mark’s hand patting his head softly. “You’re such a crybaby.” Mark chuckled quietly as he pulls Jinyoung in his arms. He immediately clutched the back of Mark’s shirt in his small fists while he cried pathetically. “You could have told me good night over the phone. It’s not something to cry about. I’ll still hear your sweet voice greeting me, won’t it? And now you have to wait for another bus. Ah, I didn’t know Jinyoungie’s such a baby.” Mark’s hand felt so comforting as he strokes Jinyoung’s hair.

_That’s not what I’m crying about. If only I can tell you. But I don’t want you to hate me._ Jinyoung only shook his head as he buried his nose onto Mark’s shoulder. He was too embarrassed showing his face covered in mixture of tears and snot. He hopes Mark would not mind. _Ah, why am I such a crybaby? Why was I too worked up on this?_ But Mark only tightened his hold of him and Jinyoung hopes he does not ever let go.

“I’ll ask my dad if we can drive you home, alright?” Mark says to him softly. “And no buts this time. It’s already getting late. We can’t let you go home by yourself if you want to wait for another bus.”

Jinyoung could only nod quietly.

_I don’t know how I can stop myself from falling from you any longer. I give up._

 

 

 

 

 

“What’s... going on?” Jackson says when they went were heading back to their classroom after PE class. “Did you and Jinyoung fight?”

Mark shrugged. To be honest, he did not quite understand as well. They were still in good terms last night when Mark and his dad dropped him back to his house, but apparently this morning, Jinyoung had been avoiding him all over the place. He did not even eat lunch at the cafeteria earlier, opting to stay at the library instead. Mark thought he was just imagining things, but Jinyoung refused to speak with him the whole time. He even fled he locker rooms earlier when Mark tried to corner him.

“I seriously don’t know.” Mark says quietly. It was too bad there was no theater club meeting today. And Jinyoung does not reply to his texts as well.

**_I don’t understand what’s happening. Are you okay, Jinyoung? Did I do something wrong? We can talk about it._ **

 

Mark sadly puts his phone back in his pocket.

 

 

 

 

 

“We need to talk.”

It was what Jinyoung was afraid of. As soon as he smelled Youngjae’s cologne, he knows he was busted. He knew Youngjae would eventually find him in the library. He was hanging in here for the past few days to avoid the lunch table. There was nothing that could escape his best friend’s eagle eye. Youngjae had told him multiple times before already. He has the sixth sense and now is the best moment for Jinyoung to believe him.

“Hey, what’s up?” Jinyoung says using the most cheerful and casual tone he can muster up. However, there was a perfect reason why Jinyoung was a playwright of the theater club instead of the actor, because judging as how Youngjae narrowed his eyes more was a clear sign that his best friend is not buying any of it. “Ah, alright you got me. I’m sorry.”

“What are you saying sorry for?” Youngjae says as he puts his hands on his waist or commonly known as the Mother-Hen-Youngjae move. “It’s not me you should say sorry to. You did not do anything wrong to me, Park Jinyoung. Why are you avoiding, Mark Tuan?” He takes a seat beside Jinyoung’s and Jinyoung can tell that his best friend is trying his best not to lose it since they are inside the library.

“I... I’m not.” Jinyoung denied quietly, avoiding his best friend’s eyes. “I just... I’m not avoiding Mark, Youngjae.”

“And who do you think you’re kidding, Park Jinyoung?” Youngjae shook his head at him. “I don’t think you, yourself, is not even convinced on what you told me.”

Jinyoung bit his lip guiltily. He did not mean to disappear like that and seem as if he was dismissive of Mark. No. In fact, it was the exact office. He misses Mark so much that it was keeping him up all night for the past few days. However, at the same time, he knew it was wrong since he was only setting himself for another heart break, because Mark is already looking at someone else. Perhaps someone who is light years away from Park Jinyoung in every level.

Mark is perfect. He was possibly the nicest guy in the world who basically has everything and even if he was like that, he was still humble. He was like a prince. Park Jinyoung is just a pauper.

 

A simple little pauper who fell in love with a prince.

 

It will be better for them if Jinyoung tried to get his feelings settled first, before facing Mark once again. He cannot have a break down like the last time.

 

But the more Jinyoung longed for Mark, the more he falls for him.

 

“Let me guess,” Youngjae started with a sigh after Jinyoung did not answer him. “I think I know what’s going on. You like Mark, don’t you?”

“I... Uh,” Jinyoung stuttered as he felt his cheeks heating up. “Well, that i-is. I... How did you know?”

“Are you kidding me?” Youngjae’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Park Jinyoung, we’ve known each other since before we can say each other’s names properly. Don’t underestimate me. I think I’ve figured out you like him even before waaaaaay you figured it out.”

“What?” If it was possible, Jinyoung felt his cheeks getting even warmer at his best friend’s statement. “You did?”

“Yeah,” Youngjae just shrugged. “I think even before you were ‘pining’ over Han Jaesung, I know Mark’s already stealing your attention. Han Jaesung became your safe answer over the years, Jinyoung-ah. But now, you’ve found a decent guy to really fall for, why are you hiding from him all of a sudden? I just don’t get it.”

Jinyoung sighed sadly. “Youngjae, he likes someone else. I just... I can’t face him right now without feeling jealous that it can’t be me. It’s just too selfish of me to feel this way.”

“Who likes someone else?” Youngjae looked at him in confusion.

“Mark?” Jinyoung answered, reflecting his best friend’s expression.

“Mark who?” Youngjae repeated.

“Tuan. Mark Tuan.” Jinyoung says looking as if his best friend lost his mind. Surely they are only talking about one Mark Tuan, wasn’t it?

It was the first time Jinyoung had seen that expression on Youngjae’s face. His best friend has his eye closed, doing a long drawn sigh as if he was trying so hard to not lose his cool.

“PARK. JIN. YOUNG.”

“What?” Jinyoung blinked at him innocently.

“It’s a good thing that you’re my best friend and I love you,” Youngjae was trying his hardest not to lose his patience. “But are you seriously telling me that the reason you’re being dramatic and difficult like this is because you think Mark Tuan likes someone else? Someone. Else. S-O-M-E-O-N-E E-L-S-E?”

“Uhh, I guess.” Jinyoung says in confusion. “He confirmed it himself. He told me that when we got locked at the rooftop, remember?”

“I would seriously need a blood pressure medication after this.” Youngjae muttered to himself. His hand covering his face as if in disappointment. “Mark Tuan is actually a saint to put up with this, who would have thought?”

“What are you talking about?” Jinyoung asked, now more confused than ever.

“Jinyoung,” Youngjae looked at him dead in the eye. “Jinyoung, can’t you see? I know you’re my little fluffy ball of cuteness, but are you really the densest person on earth?”

“Huh?”

“Jinyoung, you’re that person. Mark likes you. For the longest time.”

 

 

 

 

 

It felt eerily weird to be back at the auditorium especially now that they are on hiatus due to the exam season. The walls seemed to scream at Mark silently while he seats on the edge of the stage, his feet dangling playfully over the floor. Memories of the night he performed on the play flashes on his mind. Most of all the beautiful smile of the person he loves sitting alone on the same spot, invaded his thoughts once more.

 

He heard his phone buzzed. It was a message from Jackson. **_My Youngjae says they’ll be there soon. Make yourself decent. Break a leg!_**

 

And true enough, a few moments later Mark hears a few noises and scuffling at the hall’s entrance. He sees an arm (most probably Youngjae’s) pushing Jinyoung inside. Mark watches in awe as Jinyoung shyly made his way down the steps. He has a small, shy smile on his face and his cheeks are glowing. Mark suddenly remembered the first time he sees Jinyoung in this same hall during freshman orientation. And as if it was in slow motion, Mark feels like he was falling in love once again.

 

Jinyoung took a seat beside him. They were quiet for quite some time. Mark on his part was thinking of the right words to say.

 

“See that chair?” Mark says, pointing to an empty seat to their right. “Fourth row, seventh seat from the right. I was sitting there first day of freshman year. That was where I first saw you and I told to myself, one day, I’m gonna marry you.”

“Yes.” Jinyoung says quietly as Mark turns to him. There was a small smile playing on Rice Cake’s face that Mark could not help reciprocating immediately.

“I haven’t asked the question yet, Jinyoungie.” Mark says cheekily, but Jinyoung’s smile only got bigger.

“My answer’s still yes. Yes, I like you too. Yes, I want to be with you. Yes, I want us to go on dates. Yes, I want you to tell me how you fell for me. Yes, I want you to listen how I fell for you. Yes I want us to study at each other’s houses even stupid chemistry. Yes, I want us to hang out during theater club meetings and after with the Musketeers. Yes, Youngjae told me about you and the Musketeers chatroom. Yes, I want you to bother me during practice even if I tell you to stop it, but we’ll still secretly kiss backstage. Yes, I want to spend lazy Sundays with you. Yes, I already agreed to double date with Youngjae and Jackson. Yes, I want us to argue and fight from the biggest to the littlest things. Yes, I want to take care of you. Yes, I will always get jealous of other guys or girls who touches you. Yes. I want to cook you bento to school and hang out at the rooftop. Yes, I want to chat with you the whole night and video call. Yes, I want us to study and do homework together. Yes, I want to study hard with you and go to a decent university. Yes, please don’t get freaked out, but I’m already thinking of us graduating and getting a decent job because yes, I want to have a good future with you. Yes, I am thinking about that right now. Yes, I am freaking out because you might think I am being too much. Yes, we can walk about this later. Yes, I know I have to calm down, but my feelings are a bit in an overdrive right now. Yes, I want to co-parent Sprout. Yes, I want to have other kids too. Yes, I want to eventually, uhh, do, uhh, _adult_ things with you, but only when we’re ready! Yes, I will say yes to you. Yes, I want to get married to you too. Yes, I am melting on the spot. Yes, you are so embarrassing, and cheesy and so incredibly perfect, Mark Tuan. Yes, you really need to explain why a Prince like you fell for a pauper like me. Yes, I am babbling now, and I need to stop. Yes. Again, I will marry you one day, Mark Tuan. Yes. I think I’m done. Oh! I forgot! Yes. I want to kiss you right now.”

Jinyoung was out of breath and his cheeks and ears are both in the bright shade of red. Mark could not help but reach out and touch Jinyoung’s warm cheek, which the latter automatically leaned on. He feels his heart beating so fast, but this time because of unbelievable, irrational happiness, the kind that makes you want to sing an opera even if he does not know how to.

“Spoiler.” Mark says with a soft chuckle, pinching Jinyoung’s cheek. “Come here.” He pulls Jinyoung in for a kiss.

 

He feels Jinyoung molds himself perfectly underneath his touch, his arms looping around Mark’s shoulder as Mark settled on his sides. Mark wondered for a bit if it was okay for them to kiss so eagerly like this. But then again, he pushes the thoughts away since he knew both of them are beginners and it was just one of the many, many things that the two of them will now learn together as a couple.

_Couple, huh?_ Mark likes the sound of that.

 

Somewhere, inside their deepest thoughts, Inner Mark and Inner Jinyoungie are kissing too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Epilogue:**

 

#1 _So... Why did Jinyoung remove that scene from the play?_

 

“Ewww,” Bambam says right away when he and the other guys arrived at the lunch table. “I know I approve of your love, hyungs. But do you really have to eat the tater tot from Mark-hyung’s mouth every single time, Jinyoung-hyung?”

“I know,” Yugyeom chimed in, staring at Mark and Jinyoung who both unfazed, still continued eating the tater tots from each other’s lips. “I mean it’s cute if you do it once in a while, but every piece? We only have one hour of lunch, hyungs.”

“Ugh, too much fluff!” Youngjae says with an adoring smile at his best friend and his boyfriend.

“Shut up, Youngjae-hyung,” Bambam rolled his eyes. “You and Jackson-hyung are even more embarrassing to be honest.”

“Hey, hey,” Jackson says in his defense. “It’s not our fault that Youngjae is into wild and sexy kind of stuff. Ow!” Jackson was hit in the arm courtesy of Youngjae.

“I have a question though,” Jaebum raised his hand in curiosity. “I don’t know if this was answered already, but I want to know since Mark and the whole theater club at least. Why did Jinyoung removed that one scene from the play?”

Mark, who was about just about to eat a tater tot from Jinyoung’s mouth, pulled back. “Oh, I was curious about that! Yeah!”

Jinyoung was blushing and Mark knew immediately he has been caught. “A-ah, about that... I actually don’t k-know why that time...”

“Jinyoung’s jealous you’re hugging someone else, Mark” Youngjae said rolling his eyes and shaking his head (‘Youngjae-ah!’ Jinyoung yelled). “What? It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? And we all know how possessive you are with Mark. I mean, OFF. LIMITS. Yeah, we know, Jinyoungie. You can’t have Mark as lead actor on your plays again if you’re like that.”

“Well, I can write plays that doesn’t have romance.” Jinyoung sulked under his breath. “I just... It wasn’t necessary for the storyline anyway! And the hug gets clingier and clingier every practice. Hmph.”

“You’re too cute.” Mark whispered in his ear in his deep voice, making Jinyoung blush once again. “Don’t worry. I won’t audition for a character that has a skinship scene. Or maybe I will, I like seeing you flustered like that.” Mark chuckled as Jinyoung lightly punched his boyfriend’s chest with his small fists.

 

 

 

 

 

#2 _Revenge, you know revenge?_

 

“Oh my God, have you seen the car?”

“I know. Did anyone know who did it?”

“No one does. There are rumors here and there, but you never know. The dashboard cam wasn’t able to record anything.”

“Han Jaesung’s in trouble now. He told his parents he’s going to a study group instead of a party, so he can’t go to the police to investigate what happened and they might find out there’s an underage party going on if they did an investigation.”

“I saw his parents earlier today. Han Jaesung doesn’t look happy. It seems like the school board can’t protect him now. I do feel a bit sorry for him, but for what he does to everyone, someone will come after him eventually.”

“Well, the school can’t do anything and punish someone who vandalized his car with spray paint and slashed tires if they don’t know who did it. Who knows it could be someone from another school?”

“Yeah.”

 

 

 

Mark turned to Jinyoung, who was looking  at him right back with a confused. They were just about to head to the first meeting of the theater club, when pictures of Han Jaesung’s vandalized car was spread on the school’s bulletin board. Mark automatically tightened his hold on Jinyoung’s hand, who squeezes it in return.

“Do you think the guys...?” Jinyoung bit his lips uncertainly.

“I don’t know...” Mark shrugged in return. “They did promise they won’t do anything, right?” Jinyoung nodded in conviction.

“Hey, hyungs, what’s up?!” Yugyeom’s voice almost made the two of them jump.

“Whoa, what the hell...” Bambam pushed his way forward to take a look at the photos. “This is seriously... Is that Jaesung-hyung’s car?”

“Looks like it is!” Yugyeom confirmed. “Poor guy. Oh well, I’d feel more sorry to him, but we’ll be more in trouble if we arrive at the theater club meeting late! Come on, hyungs!”

Mark and Jinyoung shared a look. They smiled in relief finally being able to breathe.

 

Although they both did not notice the paint stains on Yugyeom and Bambam’s nails they had been trying to get rid of the whole weekend.

 

Jaebum, Jackson and Youngjae have been successful removing theirs.

 

 

 

#3 _Forever Yours_

 

Jinyoung could not help the whimper coming out of his throat as Mark pushes him onto his mattress gently with his kisses. That was what he loves the most about Mark, no matter what happened, he always treated Jinyoung like he was the most precious person in the world. And it makes his heart warm every single time, even if things are starting to heat up.

“Wait, time out,” Mark says out of breath and pulls back with a soft suction of Jinyoung’s bottom lip. “Time out, damn.” He proceeds to roll off of Jinyoung and sat on the bed, his chest heaving while he leans back on the headboard.

“What’s wrong?” Jinyoung sat up worriedly, thinking he might have done something to turn Mark off. “Is everything alright?”

Mark turned to him, his face flushed. Jinyoung finally was able to take his boyfriend’s appearance. His hair was disheveled, probably courtesy of Jinyoung’s fingers. His uniform was unbuttoned here and there. Jinyoung’s shirt meanwhile was discarded a long time ago and is now lying comfortably on Mark’s bedroom floor.

They were supposed to memorize and practice Mark’s script (no skinship as promised!), but unfortunately there was no one at home that time and well... one thing led to the other. (Especially when he kept on hearing Mark’s sexy voice reading the words Jinyoung had written)

 

“Come here,” Mark might have noticed Jinyoung’s worried stare at him and pulled his boyfriend to sit on his lap, feeling his warm touch against his bare skin. “I’m sorry. You’re just too... sexy. I had to stop myself. At the rate we’re going, if I didn’t I might not have been able to. And we promised we won’t do anything until both of us are ready, right?”

Jinyoung’s heart warmed up immediately, giving Mark a long, lingering peck on his lips. “We did. Thank you so much. And right back at you, Mr. Tuan. You’re too sexy for my own good.”

“Ah,” Mark whined as he nuzzled Jinyoung’s neck. He proceeded to trace the tips of his finger on Jinyoung’s spine, “Fuck, please don’t start. I’m still a bit _excited_ over here.”

“Sorry,” Jinyoung says smiling as he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. “Should we continue with the script or...?”

“Let’s stay here a bit longer.” Mark pulls back and staring in to his beautiful Jinyoung’s eyes, leaning in to quietly whisper as if they were the only two people in the world.

 

“I love you, Rice Cake. Forever.”

“I love you too, my Prince. Forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> Please Please Please~
> 
> I'm so sorry. Forgive me if i'm only able to post now. There had been a lot of things that went on the past month (both good and bad) but WTH! To hell with those. I'm just glad that I was able to see you guys again!
> 
> I hope you had a fun time reading and please forgive the spelling/grammar errors. I will beta tomorrow because I have work early and... I JUST WANNA POST THIS ASAP.
> 
> Thank you for reading this and I love you guys!
> 
> See you soon and have a nice day! 
> 
> Next Stop: Most Definitely, You

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> Posting this earlier before #LAPrinceMarkTuanDay trending party because I have work tomorrow. *weeping*  
> But I hope you guys had fun reading if you're still reading this.  
> This was supposed to be a oneshot, but I ran out of time.  
> But Part Two should be up by next week, don't worry.  
> Thanks for reading! :D See you soon!


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